Elon Musk’s SpaceX was fined $3,600 by U.S. worker safety officials this month following an accident at its site in Washington state, which almost resulted in an amputation, as per inspection records reviewed by Reuters.
This incident adds to concerns raised by a Reuters investigation late last year, which highlighted SpaceX’s alleged disregard for worker safety regulations and standard practices across its facilities nationwide. The investigation uncovered over 600 previously unreported injuries sustained by SpaceX workers since 2014.
SpaceX has not responded to inquiries from Reuters regarding the reported incidents, including the death of one worker and the serious injury of another who remains in a coma following a 2022 rocket engine malfunction. The company has also remained silent on the latest safety fine imposed by Washington state’s Department of Labor and Industries.
Although SpaceX managers assured state inspectors that the incident was a one-time occurrence and that the issue had been rectified, the agency maintains that SpaceX has the option to appeal the decision.
Source: Reuters