Worker killed in blast at TSMC's Arizona construction site

TSMC investing $40 billion in Arizona fabs

A worker has died after being caught in an explosion at the Arizona site where iPhone processor manufacturer TSMC is building a new plant — and has previously been accused of using dangerous construction methods.

The previous accusations against TSMC included it being described as "easily the most unsafe site I've ever walked on," according to Luke Kasper of the sheet metal workers' union. TSMC has denied all accusations, but now a new incident has reportedly seen a fatality.

According to Bloomberg, an explosion caused the death of the driver of what's described as a chemical truck. TSMC said it was a waste disposal truck, and the Arizona State Building and Construction Trades Council (Arizona BTC) has confirmed the death.

There are no details of how the incident occurred, but it is known that the driver was initially taken to hospital. In a statement issued before the death was reported, TSMC said that there had been no damage to its facilities.

Furthermore, the company said that no TSMC staff or any onsite construction workers have reported any related injuries.

"The safety and well-being of construction workers are our top priorities, and we expect all regulatory agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident," said the Arizona BTC in a statement. "The goal should be to determine whether adequate safety measures were in place, the cause of the accident, and to implement any necessary measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future."

Separately, TSMC's Arizona plant continues to face what have been described as a cultural clash. TSMC has said unofficially that American staff "are the most difficult to manage."