Photo: Tesla
Tesla has won the final round and the war against the County of Alameda, and will officially restart operations at the Fremont facility in California next week.
For the past couple of weeks, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and Alameda County officials, including the Public Health Department, have been going back and forth over the issue of having the Fremont facility resume basic operations. As the war waged on, Musk sued the county on the grounds that new restrictions, which would have kept workers at home for the remainder of the month, came in direct contradiction to a decision from the California Governor to re-open non-essential businesses.
The County fought back, saying Musk would be fined or arrested if the factory reopened, along with anyone else in sight. This led Musk to openly dare authorities to do just that, with the only request that he be the only one carried away in handcuffs. As of the time of writing, the Tesla factory in Fremont has been open since Monday, May 11.
In fact, online reports suggest that over a couple hundred of vehicles have already been assembled and shipped out to future owners, which means Tesla has been operating in illegality.
None of that is referenced in the latest statement from the Alameda County PHD, which states the factory will resume all operations come next week. Tesla’s bullish tactics have paid off, it would seem. The PHD says management has provided them with a well thought-out plan for worker safety and social distancing restrictions are being upheld.
However, Tesla should expect the police to drop by to check if these measures are upheld after the first initial week.
“We will be working with the Fremont PD to verify Tesla is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production,” the Department says in a release.
The safety measures include limited use of restrooms, maintaining social distance with help of new layout plans for each room, wearing PPE, temperature checks, and bus shuttles traveling at 50 percent occupancy.
The County fought back, saying Musk would be fined or arrested if the factory reopened, along with anyone else in sight. This led Musk to openly dare authorities to do just that, with the only request that he be the only one carried away in handcuffs. As of the time of writing, the Tesla factory in Fremont has been open since Monday, May 11.
In fact, online reports suggest that over a couple hundred of vehicles have already been assembled and shipped out to future owners, which means Tesla has been operating in illegality.
None of that is referenced in the latest statement from the Alameda County PHD, which states the factory will resume all operations come next week. Tesla’s bullish tactics have paid off, it would seem. The PHD says management has provided them with a well thought-out plan for worker safety and social distancing restrictions are being upheld.
However, Tesla should expect the police to drop by to check if these measures are upheld after the first initial week.
“We will be working with the Fremont PD to verify Tesla is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production,” the Department says in a release.
The safety measures include limited use of restrooms, maintaining social distance with help of new layout plans for each room, wearing PPE, temperature checks, and bus shuttles traveling at 50 percent occupancy.
Alameda County Update on Tesla, May 12: We received Tesla’s site-specific Fremont COVID-19 Prevention and Control Plan yesterday as anticipated. A site-specific plan is a part of the Governor’s guidance for reopening manufacturing. pic.twitter.com/KsooDIKUYG
— Alameda County Public Health Department (@Dare2BWell) May 13, 2020
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