The Occupational Security and Well being Administration has opened an investigation into the dying of a employee at a Rivian warehouse in Illinois this week, the federal company advised TechCrunch on Friday. The company stated the probe might take as much as six months.

The person, recognized by native authorities as 61-year-old Kevin Lancaster, reportedly died from “blunt traumatic compressional accidents” after getting pinned between a tractor trailer and a loading dock on the facility, which is positioned just some miles from Rivian’s manufacturing unit.

Lancaster was reportedly trapped in that spot for round 20 minutes on Thursday earlier than firefighters have been in a position to get to him, according to one local news report. Emergency crews responded to a name at 1:40 p.m. native time, and Lancaster was pronounced useless at an area medical heart at 2:33 p.m. native time. The Regular Police Division and the McLean County Coroner are nonetheless investigating Thursday’s dying, based on the report.

“Security at our amenities is our high precedence. Sadly yesterday afternoon, a contractor handed away after an incident at our warehouse,” Rivian stated in an announcement to TechCrunch. “Our sympathy and ideas are with their household and associates. We’re working with the Regular Police Division on its investigation.”

The protection of Rivian’s manufacturing unit in Regular, Illinois turned a supply of scrutiny in 2024 after a Bloomberg News report detailed 16 “critical” violations levied on the corporate throughout that yr and the one prior.

Automotive factories are notoriously harmful, although, and Rivian has acquired only one violation on the Illinois manufacturing plant since that report was printed. OSHA even advised Bloomberg on the time that Rivian “has improved their security and well being staff and are very cooperative with the OSHA course of.”

Rivian assembles its flagship R1 pickup truck, R1 SUV, and industrial electrical van, generally known as the EDV, at its 4.3 million square-foot manufacturing unit in Regular. The corporate is increasing the area by one other 1.1 million sq. toes to make room for its subsequent EV, the R2. As soon as full, the manufacturing unit may have capability to assemble 215,000 automobiles.

This story has been up to date with a remark from Rivian.