Is Rivian, the R1T and R1S EV manufacturer, in trouble? Reports say the automaker is not only having financial problems, but workers in its factory are suffering severe injuries due to an unsafe work environment. Here is Addison's troubling story.
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Is Rivian in trouble?
Recent reports paint a concerning picture of the safety at Rivian Automotive Inc. The EV automaker's factory in Normal, Illinois, has accumulated more U.S. safety violations deemed 'serious' than any other automaker since the start of last year, according to a report from Automotive News (by subscription).
Are Rivian's cost-cutting measures to blame? Automotive News says, "Rivian said it changed parts throughout the R1 platform and made new deals with suppliers to cut costs."
The injuries are far from normal.
There are incidents alleged by workers at the plant in Normal, Ill., that haven't made it into government reports, according to Bloomberg News. One former employee interviewed by Bloomberg said she complained to doctors last year of vomiting bile with a "Rivian Blue" hue after painting R1T pickup trucks its new Storm Blue color without a respirator.
According to the report, Rivian, a California electric vehicle automaker, received initial citations for 16 serious violations in the past 21 months from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In contrast, Toyota, Honda, Volvo, Nissan, General Motors, and Ford received no more than ten violations in the past 21 months. While Volkswagen Group, BMW AG, and Subaru Corp. saw none.
Addison's story.
Automotive News says Addison Zwanzig, 20, joined Rivian in July 2023, thrilled at the opportunity to get into high-tech manufacturing and earn enough money to move out of the family home and into her own space. At Rivian, she was assigned to the paint room for about $23 an hour plus benefits, spraying the vehicles eight hours a day, six days a week.
Addison says her protection consisted of a polyester suit, rubber gloves, and plastic goggles. Within weeks, she complained of dizziness to a line leader. Soon, she was also experiencing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that led to weight loss and frequently having to leave her workstation to go to the bathroom.
Addison suspected that paint fumes were to blame for her symptoms and asked a supervisor for a respirator after she saw coworkers wearing them. Her request was denied, she said.
"They said that that (wearing a respirator) was uncomfortable and hot and that I'd prefer an N95 mask," she said in an interview.
CDBS, a mask supplier, says, "N95-rated masks can filter 95% of non-oil-based airborne particles. These include allergens, wood-shop dust, and airborne diseases. But they are NOT designed to filter or stop toxic substances from oil-based paint fumes. Most paint fumes are oil-based, so an N95 mask won't protect you from inhaling them."
The AN report goes on to say that by September, she'd seen doctors about her symptoms, including what she said was blue-tinged vomit. She said Rivian provided a respirator for her the next month and then for other coworkers who weren't previously issued one.
Addison filed a complaint to OSHA about the lack of a respirator and other issues. Still, it was dismissed after the company said in a rebuttal that it "found the allegations to be factually and legally incorrect," according to documents seen by Bloomberg.
AN says, "She is continuing to seek treatment from specialists and has consulted attorneys about whether she might have a legal case to seek compensation from Rivian."
What does Rivian say?
Rivian declined to comment on specific workers' experiences, citing privacy requirements. "We provide all necessary safety equipment, including respirators," the company said in an email. However, in its own reports to the Labor Department, Rivian has recorded significant injuries to its workers.
It's not only the paint department.
In February 2023, an employee working at the paint shop's entrance suffered a lower back laceration that required hospitalization and surgery. Two months later, an employee working on an electric delivery van suffered a finger amputation when struck by a control handle. The next month, a worker's skull was fractured when they hit their head and fell.
UAW President Shawn Fain, in a statement, said, "Rivian sells itself as a cutting-edge car company, but they're dragging workers back to the 19th century."
He pointed out that many violations of safety law may go undetected by OSHA due to the agency's limited resources.
Renee Leonard, 41, who has worked for Rivian since June 2022 on its van line and has been active in the union organizing effort, said in an interview,
"No one ever listens to your concerns. You have no idea what a policy is from day to day or from manager to manager."
More safety issues at Rivian
AN says forklifts were involved in several safety issues. In September 2023, Rivian's reports to OSHA show one worker driving a forklift suffered foot fractures from contact with a structure, while another experienced "traumatic injuries" when a forklift hit a tugger.
Employees are aware of the hazards.
Jeff Schaefer, a 57-year-old factory worker who has been active in the union effort, shared his experience, saying, "You just gotta really keep your head on a swivel for it. They don't want to stop for anything. They're being pushed that they gotta get their times down, you know, from here to there."
OSHA found that pushing empty carts by 'bulldozing' them with forklifts, although unsafe, 'was an accepted practice' in the factory. In an email, a Rivian spokesperson said that it wasn't an accepted practice and that the company is committed to safety.
Rivian says that in 2024, it instituted further mandatory training for forklift operators, including a requirement that they pass a test and that it "routinely carries out robust forklift inspections" throughout the plant.
In July, the company received a serious violation for not ensuring forklifts were inspected at least daily, as required by the training program. OSHA said a safety manager told the agency "that daily inspections should have been completed, but was unaware if the Drive Unit Department was performing the inspections."
Addison, who said paint fumes were making her sick, shared medical documents with Bloomberg that showed her complaints to doctors. She was eventually transferred from the spray booth to a role wiping down vehicles at the end of the assembly process. She says she was asked to climb on top of a vehicle while it was still on the production line, known as the skids, to clean more thoroughly.
"That was something that we were told not to do in training," said Addison, who says she wasn't involved in the union efforts when she worked at Rivian, though she was acquainted with some of the organizers. "I'd heard stories about people getting their foot crushed and legs broken."
Addison asked for the request to be put in writing, which she thought would ensure she would qualify for workers' compensation in case of an injury. Instead, she said, a manager backed down and told her she'd be "responsible for the consequences" of poor quality.
Her employment was terminated the next month. According to messages Addison shared with Bloomberg News, the company cited a lack of documentation to justify her absences for illness.
Check out my report here on why Rivian is the 3rd least reliable car brand.
Do you work at the Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and tell us about your experiences.
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Rivian
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You all need to consider the…
You all need to consider the ource and thier motivations. I drive a fork truck for Rivian and i can tell you that management has to "baby sit" employees to get them to use all saftey equipment used. Today there is this thought that as an emplyee im entitled to do what i want when i want. There is a certain segment of people who are looking for a payout no matter what it takes to get it. My job requires a sense of 360° awareness and people always step out and look at me like "hit me". This story mentions several injuries and i can tell you what safety equipment they were refusing to wear or use. If i was a manager i would fire more people than they do for saftey violations ... when it come to safety the re needs to be zero tolerance for any violations.
I've worked on factories and…
I've worked on factories and I've worked spraying, and witnessed a poorly run, under funded spray booth. When 30 years ago, people spraying wore not only a respirator, but a full suit. spray masks are really available online and at places like Home Depot, and Harbor Freight. Honestly, I can't believe that this actually happened as described, and if this person is am experienced sprayer (which I have to assume they are), why would they not just get their own respirator? O don't know what they are spraying, but 8 hits of spraying, without a mask, I think you'd go unconscious from the fumes. Going until you throw up blue? Without passing out? I honestly just don't believe it.
It should not be the…
It should not be the responsibility of employees to provide their own safety equipment.
Your right she should buy…
Your right she should buy her own mask, they only cost 20 bucks, but then again they should provide one and yes what was she spraying. Alot of these manufacturers wont take trained body people , they want newbies to train them their way, thats where the problems start
That’s exactly what I came…
That’s exactly what I came here to say. As an experienced Painter on cars or any kind of paint, people know to wear a respirator and if it’s not supplied get your own. Sounds like a lot of the forklift accidents were caused by negligence of the drivers.
The problem with supplying…
The problem with supplying your own safety equipment, especially with respirators, is an again, safety and OSHA regulations. I thought it stupid a one time too when I used to spray far less toxic paints than automotive finishes for a living that I couldn’t just use a mask from Home Depot, and even more absurd when the company safety officer confiscated it from me, but after going through the proper training and fitting process, it makes sense.
Most people without training don’t know exactly what size respirator fits them properly and what makes a good seal, that you need to save you face daily (if you have facial hair) to ensure that proper seal stay intact, and exactly what style of mask and filters should be used for their given products they are working with. I’d also say that many people don’t always truly read MSDS sheets and don’t really pay attention to what’s in every product they use either. This is why companies should be organizing fittings, training for its employees and setting standards for when and what PPE should be used, it shouldn’t be up to the employee to figure out on their own.
As being one of them in the…
As being one of them in the article Addison Zwanzig is in dire need of a Strong Work comp lawyer. Rivian has most of the doctors and strong lawyers around here scared or bought. She is still having effects from what happened to her and she would really appreciate any help. Plus we have other people looking.
Give me a break dude. There…
Give me a break dude. There's ppl out here being horribly aggrieved through zero fault of their own. They are F*cked. For life. Whoever this person is sure sounds like money grab bs to me man sorry not sorry. Shits wack. Probably 20 years old feels like deserves twenty million for the hardship of having a good ass job. GTFO
Look up your local labor…
Look up your local labor board it's a gov site, you have to file with the eeoc before certain lawsuits. Good luck.
If you are not smart enough…
If you are not smart enough to wear PPE when doing hazardous work then it’s on you, not the employer. You have the “right to refuse” unsafe work practices.
The article started with…
The article started with citing OSHA violations to lend credibility but the link does not direct to any OSHA findings are there are 0 articles published by OSHA regarding Rivian.
US government is a disgrace,…
US government is a disgrace, they have billions to send to war, but OSHA budgets and resources are limited, a department supposed to keep Americans safe.
I'm sick of this crap, if Kamala wins, this corruption will be even worse!
I worked for Rivian from 12…
I worked for Rivian from 12/2022 to 09/2024 everything was fine in the beginning but towards the end my team leads really started treating me like an outcast which made the work environment for me very uncomfortable and I was pushed out of my job.i tried moving departments but I don't think it would have helped any,I think being home looking for work is less stressful and less depressing than working for Rivian.
How is anyone surprised by…
How is anyone surprised by this?
These companies can only achieve profitability through cutting corners, now that doesn't excuse the amount of corner cutting that every other automotive manufacturer on the planet does including hypercar companies like Ferrari,Lamborghini, Bugatti.
But the amount of injuries and eventually there will be deaths reported that's where the difference is going to be between The difference of manufacturing electrical cars versus traditional cars.
Yes growing pains suck and every new automotive manufacturer will have to bear through growing pains I think every person on the planet understands that.
But you need to exceed in safety over quantity and quality over quantity.
Quality and safety are the only two things that will ever give an advantage to electric cars, if that is done correctly then more people might consider them in the future.
Anyone working in an…
Anyone working in an automotive plant witnesses anything unethical. Anything from unsafe actions to management bullying. It depends on the administration on how it's going to be taken care of or not.
I have worked in two different companies (which I will not say.) One of the factories had worker who got killed and administration immediately stopped production with all employees in the break areas. They allowed the investigation without any hassle. Second factory,
I heard about incident which a employee was walking around and had heart attack. He fell down to the floor so fellow coworker ran to the production line's team leader. The team leader's words were "Not my problem" and refused to get on the radio to get EMTs. Someone called 911 on their personal cell phone. The employee with the heart attack was considered dead on the way to the hospital.
Factory 1# will do safety audits either by middle management or safety reps. They will sweep the whole line making sure you have no holes in your gloves if you do; they will give you new pair. Then during lunch break; they will have someone sitting with a clipboard and keep tally on how many employees they can find "not stopping at walk intersections" or catch them walking while on their phones.
Plant #2: If I type in the name and it is read people wouldn't believe me. They seem way "too caring for lot of things" but in reality administration and HR don't care about you. I witness lots of people not watching out for themselves. Consistent bullying that could be reported to HR. HR doesn't do anything or they support the accuser's words. I'm surprised they haven't been seriously sued yet due to shooting events on site or employees hiring attorneys for their lack of support.
Denis, I used to work for…
Denis,
I used to work for general motors. I was a manager. I managed part of paint and then I managed the repair floor. Paint was an incredibly dangerous place to work. General motors took safety seriously but if you didn't take your own safety seriously you could die in paint. When you work around 3,000 plus people there's bound to be people that would like to end their lives. And so if someone felt like doing that and they had a family that they wanted to still be able to support even after they were gone they would take out a life insurance policy and request to get moved to paint. Now I'd run a motors if you had enough seniority you could take just about anybody's job and they'd have to go find something else to do at GM. So with enough seniority you could say I want to apply the clear coat and you'd get that job. So that's what would happen and then they would remove their respirator while they did the clear coat. Surefire way to not be here next year as the clear coat will crystallize in your lungs and they'd slowly suffocate. You can see why I wanted out of there and down to the repair floor. It's really worrisome to see Rivian not caring about their employees inhaling literal paint. The stuff doesn't go away. Your lungs can't expunge it. Your body just isn't built for filtering paint. I feel for the poor girl who you wrote the article about. I hope she makes it but I have no doubt she will have breathing troubles for the rest of her life.
No room in united states for…
No room in united states for this worthless piece of dog shit ! Don't buy this joke electric joke !
Why any one in the paint…
Why any one in the paint dept at minimal should have a respirator and trained to keep it in the bag when not in use as well as fitting , thats for basecoats, clears and primers with catalyst need a fresh air system. She has a totally valid lawsuit providing the info is correct . They were killing her for profit… disgusting in the year 2024, I have been there , this story applies to other car manufacturers too , such as Tesla.. same game played over and over
Don't believe anyone word of…
Don't believe anyone word of this article. No one is hand painting any new cars at Rivian or anywhere else. The vehicles are on a conveyor or pulls them around much of the assembly line. When it gets to the spray area it's enclosed area. Spray nozzles are situated around the entire area spraying it with great precision it then moves to the drying booth.
Thats the same thing I was…
Thats the same thing I was thinking, most companies use robosts for painting now, and if they paint their trucks by hands why would they hire a 20 yo girl to do that job it makes no sense
I paint many cars per day in…
I paint many cars per day in my line of work. And this story sounds like BS to me. It sounds like the company wanted this person to wear the correct mask but they refused. Only an idiot would spray a car without the correct equipment.. this is obviously a lazy entitled moron trying to make some quick cash from a lawsuit. Also if you have any brain on your shoulders..Blue paint fumes don't go to your stomach they go to your lungs.
In the plant, fork trucks…
In the plant, fork trucks have the right of way as in most production facilities and this is made VERY clear in onboarding. The walk paths have stop signs on the floor and you look both ways before crossingI remember vividly watching one guy walk right in front of a tugger with 6 loaded carts behind him and he saw me behind him and had the audacity to say to me "that dumbass almost hit me!" I said well, you diddnt stop or look, you walked in front of him, what did you expect?! Point being you can't fix stupid. I can say EVERY start of shift we were asked if we needed gloves, glasses ect. We were always told if we see any ways of making things better or safer to bring it up. I can happily say there weren't that many I came up with as I did several walk throughs in my area and was a part of the safety committee and what was brought up was being taken care of or addressed in a timely fashion. Growing pains will happen sure but I don't see anything that drastic happening unless the person helped it to happen.