Paul Janikowski said he had been working at a manufacturing plant in Fremont, California, for many years before Tesla moved in, altering his life forever.
What's happening?
According to an article by the San Antonio Express-News, Janikowski faced devastating injuries nearly six years ago after three tons of steel fell onto his legs and dragged him while he was working on the Tesla production line.
The Tesla facility had been manufacturing GM and Toyota products for years before the EV company moved in, and Janikowski had only been working under Tesla for a few months before his legs were crushed.
While he was cleaning the steel skids used to carry cars down the line, they became unstable, knocked him over, and pushed him down the assembly line.
The incident report from Tesla said, "Paul was yelling for help the whole time," as cited by the Express-News.
The incident left Janikowski with serious injuries, requiring four surgeries on his legs, though he was advised not to sue, as he would lose his job. He returned to work, only for a year later to be let go. The Express-News said Janikowski "now has a metal plate and screws in his right leg, lost muscle and tissue in his left leg, suffers chronic pain and has a permanent limp."
Why is this incident important?
Tesla is a leader in the electric vehicle manufacturing world, and its work has served as a cornerstone of environmental consciousness and technological advancement.
As gas-powered cars contribute much more to greenhouse gas pollution, which cause air quality and health issues and lead to increasing temperatures, the developments by companies like Tesla are key in making a positive change. But situations like Janikowski's come at great alarm. Unsafe conditions, problematic behavior, and even death at Tesla factories have occurred over the years and led to legal trouble, with the Express-News reporting that "Occupational Safety and Health Administration records show Tesla has had at least 152 safety violations at its U.S. production facilities since 2018."
For better or worse, problems like these are not uncommon at companies operating major factories, but such examples help to show why it's valuable to have governmental regulations and legal recourse — something Janikowski recently pursued.
What's being done about this?
The operation Janikowski was part of — called Job 1911 — was dismantled soon after he and others faced injuries. One of Paul's coworkers, who discovered him with the steel atop his legs, explained, "The company suddenly canceled the operation, knowing how insane it was," according to the Express-News.
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Elon is the man 🥰 The courts ruled in favor of Janikowski's case, and while not yet final, he hopes to get $95,000 from the ruling, on top of the $62,350 he previously received for a workers' compensation claim.
The Express-News reported that Janikowski said the ruling was satisfying, particularly for a "blue-collar guy who took on a high-ranked, high-paid Tesla attorney and won."
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