Elon Musk's Boring Company has been fined more than $112,000 for safety violations by Nevada OSHA, according to state records Bloomberg Businessweek obtained via a freedom of information request.
According to the OSHA inspection, 15 to 20 workers suffered chemical rashes and burns while working at the Las Vegas tunnel site over two months in summer 2023.
Also revealed in the inspection reported by Bloomberg: Showers were not available for workers who were sprayed by the chemical hazards. OSHA also found there was no PPE provided to protect workers against the chemicals.
The Boring Company is contesting the citations, stating that the “Nevada OSHA has failed to establish that the alleged violations occurred.”
OSHA defines serious violations as those where “there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could occur.”
In 2022, The Boring Company said the “Vegas Loop” tunnel sits beneath the Strip and will eventually span 68 miles to connect different parts of the city.
Report reveals worker hazards
Bloomberg reports that Boring Company workers said they had to wade through a chemical sludge that would sometimes be up to two feet high. They said if it splashed onto their skin, it would burn. Workers at the Encore dig site told Nevada’s OSHA that burns became almost routine and caused permanent scars. At least one employee took a direct hit to the face, according to the investigation.
The report also details some construction violations. Last summer, an intern was nearly crushed when a bin made of two-ton concrete blocks collapsed. The employees said it had been overloaded with muck, which caused the metal brackets holding it to give way. Workers also said that temperatures in the tunnels can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
