SpaceX fined after worker injury, records reveal history of safety concerns

Elon Musk's SpaceX was fined $3,600 this month following an incident at its Washington state site that nearly resulted in an amputation, as per inspection records reviewed by Reuters.

This fine comes amid broader concerns about the company's safety practices, highlighted in a Reuters investigation that uncovered hundreds of previously unreported injuries among SpaceX workers since 2014.

According to state inspection records obtained by Reuters, inspectors found safety violations at SpaceX's Redmond, Washington, site prompted by worker complaints.

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These violations included a lack of a comprehensive safety program and inadequate communication of work rules.

The incident leading to the fine involved a worker's foot being crushed by a falling roll of material, described as a "near amputation" by inspectors.

SpaceX managers reportedly assured state inspectors that the incident was isolated and promptly addressed.

However, inspectors noted that the site lacked safety measures such as requiring employees to wear steel-toe shoes, despite handling increasingly heavy materials.

This violation was considered serious given the potential risk of injury.

One worker, whose identity was not disclosed in the report, expressed concerns to inspectors about safety practices at the Redmond site.

They highlighted the prioritisation of production speed over safety and alleged deliberate setup errors to boost production rates, suggesting a systemic issue in safety oversight.

SpaceX's history of safety incidents and regulatory fines underscores broader challenges in worker safety regulation.

Despite fines totalling over $50,000 in the past decade, experts suggest that fines pose minimal deterrents for major companies due to legal caps and chronic understaffing of regulatory agencies.

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a major SpaceX contractor, has not commented on the recent incident or the broader safety concerns.

SpaceX's safety record has drawn attention, especially after a worker suffered a severe injury in a 2022 rocket engine malfunction, leading to a negligence lawsuit against the company filed by the worker's spouse.

(With inputs from Reuters)