Safety regulators are taking a closer look at the Tesla auto plant after an outside contractor suffered an injury. The injury comes at a tense time for Tesla as workers at the California plant have begun to unionize as complaints of workplace injuries increase. A news story tells about an accident that recently occurred at the electrical auto industrial plant.
Tesla had contracted with an outside construction company to work inside the plant. An employee of the outfit was severely burned as a result of an electrical explosion. The man is still in a local burn unit recovering from his second and third degree burns.
The auto maker was already feeling some pressure from its own employees who cite unsafe working conditions as their primary complaint. The explosion will only add fuel to this fire. A recent study led to reports that injuries as the Tesla plant were 30 percent higher than average, confirming employee complaints. Some employees have been in talks with the United Auto Workers Union in hopes of addressing the safety issues.
These auto employees know that they have a right to be protected from unsafe conditions on their job. Other California workers should know that there are programs that can assist in the event of workplace injuries. The workers’ compensation insurance program is available to employees who have been hurt while working. A lawyer can help with filing a workers’ comp claim and will help ensure that the full allowable payout is awarded to the injured worker.
Source: kqed.org, “State Regulators Investigate Burn Injury at Tesla’s Fremont Plant”, Alyssa Jeong Perry, June 20, 2017
