A construction worker at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas was seriously injured in November when a large metal support fell from a crane while he was building a concrete wall. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
The worker, Eduardo Cavazos, filed a lawsuit in November against SpaceX and a contractor, alleging negligence. According to the complaint, Cavazos was employed by CCC Group, subcontracted to construct concrete walls at the site. During crane operations on November 15, a “vertical formwork” support detached and struck him, causing fractures to his hip, knee, and tibia, as well as injuries to his neck, head, shoulders, back, and legs. The lawsuit claims the crane operator was distracted and recklessly handled the equipment. Cavazos is seeking unspecified damages, alleging the companies failed to secure the metal support properly and did not provide adequate warnings of on-site hazards.
This marks the second crane-related incident at Starbase under OSHA review this year. The first occurred in June when a crane collapsed, though details of any injuries remain unclear. OSHA’s “rapid response investigation” into the November accident involves requesting information from SpaceX to determine if an on-site inspection is necessary.
Starbase has a history of serious workplace injuries. OSHA data show the facility’s Total Recordable Incident Rate in 2024 was 4.27 per 100 workers, higher than SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas (2.48), and Hawthorne, California (1.43) sites, and above the aerospace industry average of 1.6. Safety advocates say the rate highlights ongoing risks at the site, where transparency on serious injuries has sometimes been limited.
SpaceX continues to expand Starbase, constructing a $250 million, 700,000-square-foot rocket factory called “Gigabay,” expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The facility is planned to produce up to 1,000 Starship rockets annually, adding pressure as the company works toward ambitious lunar and Mars missions. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy recently criticized SpaceX for delays in lunar mission preparations, suggesting NASA could turn to Blue Origin to meet timelines.