Rivian employees blame company for crushed hand, broken ribs and foot, sliced ear at plant
At least a dozen employees at Rivian Automotive Inc. have accused the electric-vehicle maker of safety violations at its Illinois plant, according to complaints filed with federal regulators.
The complaints allege the company ignored known hazards and deprioritized safety resources, leaving some workers to share respirators needed during the manufacturing process. They also detail a range of injuries, including a crushed hand, a broken foot, a sliced ear and broken ribs. One Rivian employee said management fished damaged electrical cables out of the garbage and told employees to use them.
Together, the filings depict an automaker that cut corners as it scaled rapidly to keep pace in the competitive electric-vehicle space. Some employees described safety protocols that faded as production pressures grew on its trademark plug-in pickup truck.
“There's a certain level of danger involved in manufacturing,” Don Jackson, one of the employees who filed a complaint, said in an interview. “But I was expecting safety to be a little more prioritized.”
In statements to Bloomberg News, a Rivian spokesperson disputed workers' allegations but declined to comment on specific complaints, citing employee privacy. The spokesperson said the complaints represent a tiny portion of the 6,700 employees at the plant.
“Creating a safe and inspiring environment is a daily practice we expect of every Rivian employee and is part of our operating procedures,” the company said in an emailed statement, adding: “We are not aware of any manager directing employees to share respirators.”
The allegations were filed over the past two months with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and are directed at the automaker's only operational plant, in
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