Elon Musk’s Boring Company was introduced in 2016 with the usual excitement and grandeur associated with the entrepreneur’s projects.
However, the company’s ambition to develop underground networks of ‘hyperloops’ for high-speed city-to-city transportation has not materialized effectively.
A recent investigation by Bloomberg uncovered several worker accidents, including incidents with falling debris, a malfunctioning forklift, and exposure to toxic chemicals that resulted in permanent injuries for many employees.
At a Boring Company tunnel worksite, which was intended to connect the Las Vegas Convention center with the Encore and Westgate hotels, a group of workers suffered permanent skin damage due to exposure to hazardous chemicals.
The information was revealed in a report put together by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration and obtained by Bloomberg through a Freedom of Information Act request.
These chemicals are accelerants commonly utilized in the concrete setting process. At the Boring Company worksite, the accelerants helped the grout bind properly to the concrete tunnel walls.
It was common for accelerants to leak into the groundwater and combine with concrete and debris, forming a hazardous sludge that could be up to two feet deep, requiring workers to walk through it.
OSHA Report Exposes Severe Worker Conditions
The OSHA report mentioned workers who had permanently scarred arms and legs, as well as one incident where a worker was struck in the face and burned by the chemical mixture.
Workers endured scorching temperatures reaching 100 degrees while putting in long hours, sometimes working six or seven days a week at a site referred to as “the plantation” by some workers who shared their experiences with the Nevada safety agency. Employees also mentioned needing approval to use the restroom.
Two dangerous incidents were marked by two near-fatal encounters: In one, a bin constructed of concrete blocks collapsed, hurling two tons of debris and almost crushing an intern.
Another employee was also thrown from a forklift when its brakes failed while trying to descend a hill into the tunnel.
OSHA’s Nevada office has fined Boring Company for a total of eight violations, totaling $112,504, as reported by Bloomberg.
That amount is significantly lower than the $908 million the company has raised in venture funding since it was established.
Even with the demanding work involved in excavating the earth and the significant financial commitment, Boring Company’s presence in Las Vegas has not grown beyond its first endeavor.
This includes an underground tunnel that shuttles passengers between the two sides of the Las Vegas Convention Center in Tesla vehicles moving at 40 mph, as well as a route connecting the Convention Center to the Resorts World Hotel.
