A Tesla engineer at the company's Giga Texas factory in Austin, Texas, was reportedly attacked by a malfunctioning robot in an incident that occurred in 2021, according to an injury report filed with regulators. The incident recently came to light through media reports and witnesses described the attack as the robot pinning the engineer to the wall and clawing at his back and arm, resulting in a trail of blood on the factory floor. The engineer was programming software for the robots that cut car parts from aluminum when the incident occurred. Two of the robots were disabled for maintenance, but a third was inadvertently left on, leading to the attack.

The engineer sustained a laceration, cut, or open wound on his left hand as a result of the attack. Despite the severity of the injuries, the engineer did not require time off from work for recovery. Concerns have been raised about the working environment at Tesla's Giga Texas plant, with data indicating a higher rate of injuries compared to industry medians. One in 21 workers at the Tesla Giga Texas factory was injured on the job in 2022, while the industry average was one in 30. This follows a previous incident of a construction worker's heat stroke death during the factory's construction in 2021.

Tesla has faced criticism for its handling of workplace safety and accident reporting. The company has been accused of cutting corners on construction, maintenance, and operations, putting workers at risk. Witnesses have reported safety lapses, including heavy machinery falling near workers, workers falling ill due to exposure to toxins, and incidents involving forklifts colliding with workers. Records indicate that workers have suffered injuries that forced them to miss months of work.

In addition to the robot attack incident, the Tesla Giga Texas factory has also experienced other safety concerns, including an explosion caused by water being accidentally submerged in molten aluminum in the castings area. The explosion resulted in a ball of fire and smoke, causing employees to flee in terror. The exact number of injuries from the explosion is unknown as the information was not included in safety inspection documents.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk relocated the company's headquarters from California to Texas in 2021 and construction of the Giga Texas factory began in 2020. Musk aims for the facility to produce 20 million cars annually by 2030 and plans to employ 60,000 people once construction is completed. Tesla expects to spend up to $10 billion to finish the construction of the plant.