Report: At Musk's SpaceX, Hundreds of Hidden Injuries

Elon Musk has long been eager to get humans to Mars ASAP—maybe too eager, according to a new Reuters' documentation of injuries at SpaceX facilities over the past decade. The news agency conducted interviews and sifted through government files to reveal how many SpaceX workplace injuries, all previously unreported, have been racked up, and it counts at least 600 since 2014. Many were severe or leading to disability, and Reuters says the figure is "only a portion of the total case count." Burns, cuts, fractures, dislocations, and sprains are among the injuries detailed, as are head injuries, crushed limbs, electrocutions, and accidents resulting in amputations. The report even includes one death: that of Lonnie LeBlanc, a 38-year-old retired Marine who died after falling from a truck while transporting foam insulation to a SpaceX hangar in Texas.

LeBlanc had opted to sit on the insulation to keep wind from blowing it off the truck, and OSHA later found SpaceX "had failed to protect LeBlanc from a clear hazard," with "no convenient access to tie-downs and no process or oversight for handling such loads," per Reuters. Both ex-workers and current ones say staff is often inadequately trained and overtired, with safety processes dismissed as workers "raced to meet Musk's aggressive deadlines for space missions," per Reuters. The report mentions Musk himself, with workers noting "he sometimes played with a novelty flamethrower" during visits (there's video) "and discouraged workers from wearing safety yellow because he dislikes bright colors."

"Elon's concept that SpaceX is on this mission to go to Mars as fast as possible and save humanity permeates every part of the company," says an ex-SpaceX avionics engineer who was fired with others after complaining about work conditions. It's not the first time questions have been raised over safety in Musk's initiatives. Environmental groups sued the FAA over a SpaceX rocket launch from Texas earlier this year, claiming the agency didn't take into account the environmental impacts, while accusations of rushed animal experiments due to pressure from Musk himself have also emerged out of his Neuralink company. The Musk-owned Tesla has also had its fair share of complaints. More here from Reuters, which didn't get a response from SpaceX. (More SpaceX stories.)