The Boring Company, owned by Elon Musk, has suspended work on its tunnel project aimed at connecting the Las Vegas airport to its existing underground transit system. This announcement comes on the heels of a major incident Wednesday night, where a worker suffered a “preventable crushing injury. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has since opened an investigation into the company. Given the length and breadth of their projects, this decision brings into question safety practices at their construction sites.
The Boring Company, which has recently completed an introductory 3.5 miles of tunnels in Las Vegas. Since it started in 2019, it’s given more than 3 million rides. The very ambitious plan aims for an extensive network of 1,400 miles. The Boring Company’s aim is to quickly and cheaply move almost all of Las Vegas across a network of underground tunnels. The storm clouds over the recent expansion efforts courtesy of the injury incident have rolled in.
This dangerous injury points to a larger trend. Indeed, dozens of workers have been injured building the tunnels. This has led to growing concerns among labor advocates and regulatory bodies regarding the safety measures implemented by The Boring Company. Former employees, including the company’s ex-safety manager for the Las Vegas project, have publicly voiced apprehensions about the risks posed to workers on site.
OSHA’s investigation comes after multiple reports indicating that The Boring Company’s safety practices might be inadequate. Citing a lack of proper safety protocols, former employees have been vocal about the dangers faced by workers in an environment that has seen numerous accidents.
This unprecedented stoppage in construction presents a historic opportunity to address safety issues. It puts the company’s long-term plans to build out its transportation infrastructure in Las Vegas at risk. The Boring Company has been placed under a microscope by OSHA and the public. They need to improve their safety practices in order to get back to work.