The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Tesla for safety violations regarding a death at its Giga Texas plant
February 20, 2025 at 14:33
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Tesla after a worker died at Giga Texas.
- The man in question allegedly came into contact with an electric panel he believed was inactive.
- Details of the citation are not currently public though they may become so in the near future.
Late in January, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Tesla for safety violations in a case involving a death at Giga Texas. The tragic accident happened back in August to a journeyman electrician. OSHA began an investigation at the time and has now concluded the case.
In a statement to Reuters, OSHA said that “The investigation is closed and citations have been issued.” Notably, the administration didn’t clarify exactly what the violations were or what the fines associated with those violations amounted to.
Read: From Cracked Sculls To Lost Fingers, Worker Injuries Pile Up At Rivian Plant
Reuters points out that OSHA already fined Tesla some $7,000 for two other violations at Giga Texas last year. According to the US Department of Labor, the maximum penalty for serious and other-than-serious violations is $16,550. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations is $165,514.
Reports from around the time of the incident indicate that the electrician, Victor Gomez Sr. was working for Belcan, a company hired by Tesla to work at Giga Texas. Gomez Sr. allegedly interacted with a hot electrical panel that he believed was inactive. Austin-Travis County EMS responded to Giga Texas and took him to Dell Seton Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
His family sued Tesla and Belcan for what they claim were safety violations. It’s possible that this latest ruling from OSHA will only strengthen their case. This is far from the first time that Tesla has faced this sort of regulatory pressure over safety.
In 2023, OSHA fined it some $38,000 for workplace safety violations in California. Tesla isn’t the only one that has been fined for such violations. One notable example is General Motors‘ and LG Energy Solutions’ joint venture, Ultium Cells LLC, which faced a $270,091 penalty after a string of complaints and an explosion in March of 2023.