this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023
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At SpaceX, worker injuries soar — Reuters documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at rocket company: crushed limbs, amputations, electrocutions, head and eye wounds, and on...::Reuters documented more than 600 workplace injuries at SpaceX. Employees say they’re paying the price for Elon Musk’s push to reach Mars at breakneck speed.

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[–] [email protected] 136 points 1 year ago (19 children)

It was hardly the last serious accident at SpaceX. Since LeBlanc’s death in June 2014, which hasn’t been previously reported, Musk’s rocket company has disregarded worker-safety regulations and standard practices at its inherently dangerous rocket and satellite facilities nationwide, with workers paying a heavy price, a Reuters investigation found. Through interviews and government records, the news organization documented at least 600 injuries of SpaceX workers since 2014.

Many were serious or disabling. The records included reports of more than 100 workers suffering cuts or lacerations, 29 with broken bones or dislocations, 17 whose hands or fingers were “crushed,” and nine with head injuries, including one skull fracture, four concussions and one traumatic brain injury. The cases also included five burns, five electrocutions, eight accidents that led to amputations, 12 injuries involving multiple unspecified body parts, and seven workers with eye injuries. Others were relatively minor, including more than 170 reports of strains or sprains.

Holy shit... So what does the Muskrat have to say about this?

Musk himself at times appeared cavalier about safety on visits to SpaceX sites: Four employees said he sometimes played with a novelty flamethrower and discouraged workers from wearing safety yellow because he dislikes bright colors.

Jesus fucking christ. This man is such a caricature of an evil capitalist villain.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

These numbers mean nothing without a reference to compare with other similar industries. The article does include a number from other rocket manufacturers(?), though I'd be curious to see how it compares to other private companies, not, like, nasa, haha

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why not NASA? I hope you aren't implying that private industry should be held to a lower safety standard than government

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Not necessarily, but also government spends an inordinate amount of money on extra processes and moves much slower, which could naturally lead to fewer accidents because they're just doing less, and also the government outsources quite a lot of labor which could include the more accident-prone aspects

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