Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has agreed to more scrutiny when it comes to the safety of construction workers building its first US plant, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs said on Friday.
At a news conference held against the backdrop of ongoing construction at a site in north Phoenix, Hobbs said that the TSMC facility and the state have signed a voluntary protection program.
“Under this agreement, TSMC will adhere to requirements higher than those at the federal level,” the governor said. “These additional safety measures include greater transparency for workers, closer oversight from the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health and increased training for foremen and all hands.”
Photo: Bloomberg
Hobbs said that construction safety standards should match the quality of the highly publicized project that has been the source of much pride.
US President Joe Biden visited the site in December last year, praising it as a demonstration of how his policies are fostering job growth. Biden has staked his legacy in large part on major investments in technology and infrastructure that were approved by the US Congress along bipartisan lines.
The plant’s construction was first announced in 2020 during the administration of then-US president Donald Trump. At that time, TSMC said that it was investing US$40 billion over eight years in Arizona and would construct a second plant.
Photo: Reuters
Then-Arizona governor Doug Ducey said that the factory would create more than 1,600 new high-tech jobs in the state.
Construction started in 2021 on more than 445 hectares of land. The plant is slated to be in full production next year. The facility is to utilize TSMC’s 5-nanometer technology for semiconductor wafer fabrication and have the capacity to produce 20,000 wafers per month.
The company has received criticism for bringing in some workers from Taiwan to help with construction.
TSMC has said that the jobs of thousands of US workers already on site would not be affected.
Hobbs on Friday also announced the launch of a initiative to double the number of registered construction and trade apprentices in Arizona over the next three years.
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