BERLIN (Reuters) – Tesla on Tuesday rejected claims by a German union and recent media reports that health and safety provisions at its gigafactory near Berlin were inadequate, saying protecting workers’ health was the top priority. .
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The US electric vehicle maker came under scrutiny last fortnight when German media, citing local authority documents in Brandenburg, reported that an unusually high number of work-related accidents at the plant left workers with at least three days’ sick leave. There was a need to take leave. Approximately 11,000 employees.
Reports detail accidents that involve serious injuries such as burns, exposure to hydrochloric acid or severed limbs.
On Monday, German union IG Metall said membership numbers among Tesla workers were rising rapidly amid concerns over health and safety as well as overwork. Reuters was not able to independently verify the union’s claims or media reports.
In a written statement, Tesla said workers received training on necessary safety measures as well as protective clothing. It added that the plant was subject to regular checks by local authorities to ensure that safety measures were being respected.
The company did not address specific claims by the union or media reports regarding the number of accidents or worker illnesses at the plant.
Reuters spoke to twelve factory workers on Monday.
While four said they were satisfied with working conditions, eight said the pressure to pace was too much, with some reporting high incidences of accidents and issues receiving overtime pay.
Brandenburg’s authority on occupational safety and health told Reuters it only has records of serious accidents at work that resulted in more than six weeks of inpatient treatment or permanent physical damage, of which six incidents occurred at a Tesla plant in 2021 and 2022. Had happened.
It said authority staff conducted weekly safety checks at the plant during the construction phase and now conduct fortnightly visits with unannounced checks every 6-8 weeks.
(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Christina Amann; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Source: finance.yahoo.com
