A second worker has died at the construction site of BYD’s future electric vehicle factory in Szeged, Hungary, intensifying scrutiny over the Chinese giant’s labor practices. The most recent incident occurred on June 18 and follows a death recorded in the same location in February this year.
The fatality renews discussions about workplace safety and operational conditions in the construction of the facility, which had already been the target of reports of abuse. The company, one of the largest electric vehicle manufacturers in the world, did not immediately respond to questions about the recent death.
New tragedy at construction site in Hungary
The death on June 18 was confirmed by the Hungarian National Ambulance Service, which reported sending several emergency units, including a rescue helicopter, to the scene. Despite resuscitation efforts by paramedics, the worker succumbed to his injuries.
Local media reports indicate that the victim was hit by a truck at the factory’s construction site. The competent authorities, represented by the Csongrád-Csanád County Government Office, have started an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
Investigations and fines for labor irregularities
The fatality occurs at a time when the construction company AIM Construction Hungary Ltd., a subsidiary of a company linked to a labor scandal at the BYD factory in Brazil in 2024, was already facing inspections. The company received a fine of 34,500,000 forints (approximately $110,350) due to issues related to occupational safety.
This sanction highlights a series of concerns about working conditions at the Hungarian site. The connection to previous incidents at other BYD units in different countries raises an alarm about the consistency of safety and labor compliance standards across the company’s supply chain.
Other violations identified in audit
In addition to the fine for safety reasons, AIM Construction was notified of several other violations during inspections. The irregularities included:
- Late registration of employees.
- Violations of working hours regulations.
- Formal defects in employment contracts.
Two other companies involved in construction were also found to be non-compliant. LÉVAI-SECURITY Ltd. was fined for employing workers without proper registration, while Plusz Kéz Ltd. received warnings for problems in supervising work. The scope of the violations suggests a systemic failure in monitoring working conditions by multiple actors in the project.
Previous accusations of forced labor at the site
Earlier this year, New York-based watchdog group China Labor Watch published an alarming report alleging forced labor practices at the construction site of the BYD factory in Szeged. The document detailed reports of employees subjected to seven-day work weeks and who had their wages withheld.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li had previously denied these allegations, telling CNBC that the automaker “welcomes labor inspectors” to check conditions at the site. The new death, however, questions the effectiveness of inspections or the speed of corrections, requiring a reevaluation of the guarantees offered by the company.
BYD’s global expansion and enforcement challenges
BYD has invested heavily in its global expansion, with machinery installation at the Szeged plant beginning in January and full production expected in the third quarter of 2026. This accelerated pace of growth and demand for new production units in different markets bring significant challenges to maintaining labor and safety standards across all operations.
Deadline pressure and the complexity of managing multiple suppliers and subcontractors in international environments can lead to oversight failures. For rapidly expanding companies like BYD, it is crucial to establish and enforce strict protocols, ensuring that the pursuit of efficiency and competitiveness does not compromise the lives and dignity of workers.