At TSMC's Fab 22 construction site in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, three contract workers were killed and a fourth is in intensive care after falling while working on steel structures. The Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau suspects a broken bolt on a connection plate caused the collapse, sending both workers and steel components to the ground. Emergency crews sent 10 vehicles and 22 personnel; three died despite resuscitation attempts.
TSMC halted the related construction work and said the task fell under the contractor's scope. Steel hoisting on the project has been suspended while labor inspectors examine the scene. The accident is not isolated: local reports count at least a half-dozen fatal incidents at TSMC construction sites since September 2024, each with one prior fatality.
The deaths come as TSMC accelerates fab building, going from four fabs per year in 2017–2024 to nine in 2025 and 2026, according to Business Today. The company has emphasized safety measures, with chairman C.C. Wei saying safety cannot be compromised and a reported 42% drop in lost-time injury rate since last year's high. But the cause here is still unknown, and no schedule impact has been announced for Fab 22's phased 2nm ramp.