OSHA probing worker death at SpaceX’s Starbase site

Source: TechCrunch

Incident

A worker died at SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in South Texas on Friday, May 15, around 4:17 a.m. local time. The victim has not been identified. The incident was reported by the San Antonio Express‑News and confirmed by the county sheriff to the Wall Street Journal.

OSHA Investigation

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation into the death. OSHA told TechCrunch it will not release further details until the investigation is complete, which could take months. Representatives for the nearby Brownsville police and fire departments, SpaceX, and the newly incorporated City of Starbase did not respond to requests for comment.

Upcoming Launch and IPO

The death occurs just days before the first planned launch of SpaceX’s upgraded Starship rocket. Elon Musk’s company is also expected to release the detailed prospectus for its initial public offering this week, a transaction anticipated to be the largest ever when it takes place next month.

Safety Record at Starbase

SpaceX’s Starbase site, which handles Starship prototype launches and is an active construction zone, has a history of worker‑safety issues.

• In 2025, TechCrunch analyzed OSHA data and found the Texas launch site had an injury rate that far outpaced industry rivals, making it the most dangerous of SpaceX’s worksites.
• A 2023 Reuters investigation uncovered dozens of previously unreported injuries and a worker death in 2014 at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas test site.

Recent OSHA Violations and Lawsuits

• January: OSHA cited SpaceX with seven “serious” safety violations, including the failure to properly inspect a crane that collapsed at Starbase last June. Six of the violations carried the maximum financial penalty, totaling $115,850. SpaceX is contesting these penalties, according to federal records.
• December: An employee of a SpaceX subcontractor sued after being crushed by a large metal support dropped from a crane, suffering a broken hip, knee, and tibia. OSHA opened a “rapid response investigation,” which was later closed without punitive action. The lawsuit was dropped because the subcontractor’s workers‑compensation insurance shields it from being sued, per the worker’s attorney.