© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: View of the SpaceX air streamers adjoining to SpaceX Starbase in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., August 19, 2023. REUTERS/Veronica G. Cardenas.
By Marisa Taylor and Joey Roulette
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Three U.S. lawmakers are calling for better scrutiny of employee security at Elon Musk’s SpaceX following a Reuters investigation that documented tons of of accidents on the rocket firm’s U.S. manufacturing and launch websites.
The Nov. 10 Reuters report detailed no less than 600 beforehand unreported office accidents since 2014 at SpaceX together with crushed limbs, amputations, head accidents and one loss of life. The Reuters report discovered that damage charges at three main SpaceX industrial amenities in Texas and California far exceeded the common for the area trade.
Consultant Zoe Lofgren of California, the highest Democrat on the Home of Representatives Science, House and Expertise Committee, mentioned the report’s findings had been “deeply concerning and must be taken very seriously.”
The science panel oversees NASA’s price range and the actions of the company’s contractors.
Democratic Consultant Mark Takano of California referred to as the report “deeply troubling.” Takano is a member of the Home Committee on Schooling and the Workforce, which oversees worker-safety issues.
“These horrific and frequent violations at SpaceX are unacceptable,” Takano added. “Accountability for those harmed is overdue, particularly in light of the federal government’s partnership with the company.”
The U.S. area company NASA has paid SpaceX, whose headquarters are in Hawthorne, California, $11.8 billion up to now as a personal area contractor.
Democratic Consultant Donald Norcross of New Jersey, additionally a member of the training and workforce committee, referred to as the findings “alarming and certainly a cause for concern.”
“It’s clear that we need to take a closer look and further investigate the facts,” added Norcross, who has pursued inquiries into questions of safety at Amazon (NASDAQ:) Inc warehouses, amongst different employers.
The Home is managed by Republicans.
SpaceX didn’t reply to Reuters questions concerning the accidents or the remarks by the lawmakers.
NASA has not commented on the corporate’s security document, however instructed Reuters it has the choice of implementing contract provisions that require SpaceX to “have a robust and effective safety program and culture.”
Lori Garver, a former NASA deputy administrator who oversaw the early years of the company’s relationship with SpaceX, mentioned the excessive employee damage charges at SpaceX amenities needs to be examined by NASA to find out the causes.
“It should be a wake-up call to NASA,” added Garver, who referred to as on the company to “dig into” the problem and “make it better.”
“They shouldn’t have rates higher than other companies,” Garver mentioned. “That is a problem.”
SpaceX’s next-generation spacecraft Starship, developed to hold astronauts to the moon and past, was set for blastoff on Saturday for a repeat take a look at launch from south Texas, seven months after its first try to succeed in area ended with an explosion.
