OSHA launches probe into recent crane incident at SpaceX’s Starbase site

OSHA Investigates Serious Accident at SpaceX Starbase

In November, a construction worker at SpaceX’s Starbase facility was severely injured when a heavy metal support, suspended by a crane, fell and crushed him. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the incident, according to information obtained by TechCrunch.

The injured worker, Eduardo Cavazos, has filed a lawsuit against SpaceX and one of its contractors, alleging negligence. The lawsuit, which had not been previously reported, outlines the details of the accident. SpaceX notified OSHA of the event, prompting the agency to begin a “rapid response investigation,” as confirmed by Joanna Hawkins, OSHA’s deputy regional director of public affairs.

During rapid response investigations, OSHA typically requests additional details from the employer before deciding whether to conduct an on-site inspection. Hawkins stated that OSHA is still awaiting SpaceX’s reply to their inquiry.

This marks the second crane-related incident at Starbase under OSHA review this year. The agency is also examining a crane collapse that occurred at the site in late June. It remains unclear if anyone was hurt in that event, and both SpaceX and local officials have declined to comment. The collapse was captured on a livestream by LabPadre.

These crane accidents add to a growing list of safety incidents at the expanding launch complex in South Texas, where CEO Elon Musk is pushing for rapid development of rockets intended for lunar and Martian missions.

Details of the Accident and Legal Action

Shortly after the November accident, Cavazos, who lives in Cameron County, Texas, filed his lawsuit. He was working as a subcontractor for CCC Group, which SpaceX had hired to build concrete walls at Starbase. On November 15, a crane operator was lifting a “vertical formwork”—a structure used to shape wet concrete—when a long metal support detached and fell onto Cavazos, according to the legal filing.

An amended complaint submitted this week alleges that another CCC Group employee was operating the crane and was observed using a cell phone at the time of the incident. The lawsuit claims the operator carelessly lowered the formwork, causing it to hit the ground and startle Cavazos and two other workers. The operator then abruptly raised the formwork, at which point the 1,200-pound support struck Cavazos.

Cavazos suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to his hip, knee, and tibia, as well as trauma to his neck, head, shoulders, back, and legs. His attorneys state that he will likely require ongoing physical therapy, medication, pain management, and possibly surgery to address the injuries sustained.

The lawsuit accuses both CCC Group and SpaceX of negligence, seeking unspecified damages. Cavazos contends that both companies failed to ensure the metal support was securely fastened and did not adequately warn workers about potential hazards, among other alleged safety lapses.

Neither SpaceX nor CCC Group responded to requests for comment. Cavazos’ legal team declined to elaborate beyond the lawsuit’s contents.

Starbase’s Ongoing Safety Concerns

Serious injuries have been reported at SpaceX’s Starbase site for several years. A 2023 Reuters investigation revealed numerous previously undisclosed injuries at the facility, including the death of a worker in 2014 when construction began.

Available public records indicate that Starbase remains riskier than other SpaceX locations and similar facilities operated by competitors.

TechCrunch’s review of OSHA data in July found that Starbase had a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of approximately 4.27 injuries per 100 workers in 2024. By comparison, SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas, testing site had a TRIR of 2.48, and the Hawthorne, California, location reported 1.43. The industry average for aerospace manufacturing in 2024 was 1.6 injuries per 100 workers.

Debbie Berkowitz, former OSHA chief of staff, told TechCrunch that Starbase’s high TRIR “signals significant safety problems that must be addressed.”

Transparency at Starbase is also an issue. OSHA requires companies to report serious injuries—such as those involving hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye—within 24 hours. While SpaceX did report Cavazos’ injury, the company was fined $7,000 in June for failing to report a different qualifying injury at Starbase. SpaceX contested the fine, and the matter was settled privately.

Expansion Plans and External Pressure

SpaceX has been developing Starbase for over a decade and has ambitious plans for its future. The company is currently building “Gigabay,” a $250 million, 700,000-square-foot rocket manufacturing facility expected to be completed by the end of 2026. SpaceX has indicated that Gigabay could produce up to 1,000 Starship rockets annually.

Meanwhile, SpaceX faces mounting pressure from NASA. Acting administrator Sean Duffy recently criticized the company for delays in returning astronauts to the moon, especially after Elon Musk described lunar missions as a distraction from Mars exploration. Duffy suggested that NASA might consider using Blue Origin’s rockets to land astronauts on the moon before China, which is aiming for a 2029 lunar landing.

This article has been updated to include new details from Cavazos’ amended legal filing.