Worker safety authorities in the United States fined Elon Musk’s SpaceX $3,600 after an incident at its Washington state site resulted in a “near amputation,” as indicated by inspection records examined by Reuters.
A Reuters investigation from late last year revealed that Musk’s rocket company had neglected worker safety regulations and standard procedures across its facilities nationwide. Through interviews and government records, the news organization uncovered at least 600 previously unreported injuries among SpaceX workers since 2014.
SpaceX has yet to address Reuters’ inquiries regarding various incidents, including the death of a worker and the injury of another who remains in a coma following a rocket engine malfunction in 2022. The company has also not responded to requests for comment regarding the recent safety fine.
Inspectors from the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries uncovered additional safety violations at SpaceX’s Redmond, Washington, site in December. The visit was prompted by worker complaints. According to state inspection records obtained by Reuters through an open records request, the agency spokesperson mentioned that SpaceX still has the option to appeal the decision.
According to records, inspectors determined that the site lacked a comprehensive safety program, clear communication of work rules, and an effective system for addressing violations. The incident described as a “near amputation” occurred when a roll of material fell and crushed a worker’s foot.
Managers at SpaceX informed state inspectors that it was an isolated incident and that the issue had been resolved. However, inspectors discovered that employees were not mandated to wear steel-toe shoes, despite the increased weight of the materials they were handling. These materials had grown heavier, from approximately 80 pounds to 300 pounds each. This violation was deemed serious due to the potential risk of injury, according to an agency spokesperson.
According to the records, one worker at the site informed inspectors that safety measures could be overlooked because the company’s priority is to maximize production within a short timeframe. The injured worker stated that the machine used for loading rolls had been intentionally configured incorrectly to boost production rates during the material loading process.
The worker, who remained unidentified in the report, indicated to inspectors that the issue had not been resolved. Furthermore, they expressed doubts about the competency of safety officials at the company’s Redmond site, suggesting that they lacked the necessary reading comprehension and overall competency to implement a safety plan effectively.
In a separate incident reported within 24 hours, an unidentified employee in Redmond was hospitalized with a broken ankle after jumping off a dock during a fire alarm, which inspectors deemed unforeseeable. As a result, SpaceX was not fined.
According to a Reuters report last year, worker safety agencies fined the billionaire’s rocket company a total of $50,836 for various violations over the past decade. This history of injuries and regulatory issues highlights the limitations of worker safety regulations. Experts note that fines are restricted by law and serve as minimal deterrents for large companies, particularly due to chronic understaffing of inspectors by federal and state regulators.
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which has contracted SpaceX for more than $11.8 billion as a private space contractor, did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter. NASA has consistently refrained from commenting on SpaceX’s safety record, stating only that it retains the option of enforcing contract provisions mandating SpaceX to maintain a robust and effective safety program and culture.
Last month, the wife of the worker who remains in a coma after sustaining a fractured skull filed a negligence lawsuit against SpaceX. Neither NASA nor SpaceX has provided comments on this complaint.