Autos

Tesla workers are passing out on the factory floor, according to a report

Tesla factory workers are working so hard they are passing out
VIDEO0:5400:54
Tesla factory workers are working so hard they are passing out

Workers at Tesla's California car factory have been passing out and requiring rides in ambulances, the Guardian newspaper reported Thursday.

The conditions at the factory suggest the lengths the company is going to in order to meet its extremely ambitious production goals, and the tension employees feel between their pride in being part of the company and the stress and exhaustion the company's goals are causing them, according to the report.

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Tesla is adopting a risky assembly line strategy for the Model 3
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Tesla is adopting a risky assembly line strategy for the Model 3

Fainting spells, dizziness, seizures and other symptoms have led to more than 100 calls to ambulances since 2014, according to incident reports obtained by the Guardian.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told the publication in an interview that workers are "having a hard time, working long hours, and on hard jobs," but also said he cared deeply about their health and well-being. Tesla has also said its factory safety record has significantly improved over the last year.

The news comes as Tesla prepares to launch production of its first electric car intended for the mass market, the $35,000 Model 3.

"We're changing the world," said one worker, Richard Ortiz. "I can't wait for my granddaughter to one day go to class and say, 'My grandfather was in there.'"

But he also said he recently lost the strength in his right arm, which was "scaring" him. "I want to use my arm when I'm retired," he told the Guardian.

Some workers at the factory have attempted to unionize over the last several months.

Tesla responded to CNBC's request for comment by pointing to a company blog post, published Sunday, on safety at the Tesla factory.

"Tesla's safety record is much better than industry average, but it is not enough," it said in the post. "Our goal is to have as close to zero injuries as humanly possible and to become the safest factory in the auto industry. We will get there by continuing to ask our employees to raise safety concerns and to keep proposing ideas that make things even better."

Read the full story in the Guardian

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