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- IG Metall, a major German union, says signups have surged among Tesla workers in the country.
- German media has reported on a number of apparent safety concerns at Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory in recent weeks.
- Tesla has denied that it lacks proper health and safety measures at the plant.
Tesla has denied accusations from a German union and the country's media that workers at the Berlin Gigafactory are subject to inadequate health and safety provisions, Reuters reported.
Serious injuries like burns, incidents involving hydrochloric acid, and amputated limbs are among those detailed in documents from the local authority, according to Reuters
Reuters reported those documents also noted the Tesla factory has an unusually high number of work-related accidents that required workers to take three or more sick days as a result.
An investigation from the German newspaper Stern found that Tesla reported 190 accidents at the factory over six months leading up to November 2022 — significantly more than an expected 64 based on statistical averages.
IG Metall, the union, announced on Monday that it had seen a steep rise in membership from Tesla workers, per Reuters. It added that it wasn't unusual for 30% of the workforce to be signed off sick.
"This frequency of accidents at work is not normal," said Dirk Schulze, a spokesman for the union told the Daily Telegraph in late September.
"I am really concerned that at some point someone will be killed."
On Tuesday, Elon Musk's company fired back at the allegations that its factory lacks proper health and safety measures, per Reuters.
It said workers received training on necessary safety measures and the plant is subject to regular inspections from local officials, according to Reuters.
Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
This is not the first time Tesla has been accused of issues around its safety protocols. Last November construction workers who helped build the Austin Gigafactory said a subcontractor used fake workplace safety certificates.
And in 2020, Insider reported that Tesla failed to disclose dozens of factory injuries to California regulators.