Elon Musk's Boring Co. Avoids $400K in Fines After Firefighter Injuries

In May 2025, Nevada's workplace safety agency served notice of over $400,000 in fines to Elon Musk's Boring Company, a $5.6 billion tunneling startup, following an incident where two firefighters suffered chemical burns during a training exercise in the company's tunnels.

However, the citations were summarily rescinded the very next day after a meeting between Boring executives and a group of high-ranking state officials, including the governor's infrastructure coordinator. The record of this meeting was later removed from the public document, and other irregularities occurred in the case file, raising alarm within Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA officials and former regulators say this level of political involvement in an OSHA investigation is highly unusual and goes against standard procedures. They argue the agency is supposed to have the independence to enforce safety regulations without undue influence.

As Boring Company continues its ambitious plans to build an underground tunnel network in Las Vegas, more safety incidents have been reported, including a worker's pelvis being crushed and an employee being shocked by an electrical panel. Current and former Boring employees describe a "cowboy" culture regarding safety protocols, with chemical burns being a frequent occurrence.

The events have had a chilling effect within Nevada OSHA, with staffers reportedly fearful of inspecting or regulating Boring Company in the future. The case has also led the state to revise its OSHA policies in ways that could make it more difficult to impose fines on larger employers like Boring.