Tesla faces claims of not reporting injuries

Connecticut residents may have heard about Tesla and the electric vehicles that it produces, but they may not have heard that the company is under investigation by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In a report, the company was accused of not properly counting or identifying its employee injuries. The report also brought to light a paint shop fire that Cal/OSHA is looking into.

State regulations require employers to report serious injuries within eight hours, and a serious injury is defined as one in which a person is hospitalized for more than 24 hours. An injury can also be deemed serious if a person loses a body part or is otherwise disfigured.

The investigation will take anywhere from three to six months to complete and could include visits to the company’s Fremont factory. In a statement, Tesla said that its injury rate is half of what it was when it was operated by GM. Furthermore, the company said that all allegations must be investigated even if they are without merit. Tesla said that it had been investigated in the past and had not been cited for inaccurate or incomplete records relating to employee injuries. Cal/OSHA said that will be reviewing Tesla’s Log 300 to ensure that the company is in compliance.

If an employee is injured at work, that person is generally entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The same is true if a worker becomes ill because of something that happened while working. Those who are eligible for benefits may file a claim with their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company. If a claim is denied or not fully approved, it may be possible to ask an attorney for help with getting the initial decision overturned on appeal.