Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has been ordered to suspend power distribution work at its Fab 20 facility in Hsinchu Science Park following a fatal accident on October 18. A 52-year-old contract worker, identified by local reports as Mr. Huang, was electrocuted while working on a power distribution project at the unfinished site. Despite resuscitation efforts, Huang was pronounced dead later that evening.

TSMC responded swiftly, contacting the worker's family and pledging full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. The Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, which manages the site, has mandated that TSMC halt all indoor power distribution work and submit a safety improvement plan. The bureau will allow work to resume only after reviewing and approving the new safety measures.

This tragic incident occurred at TSMC’s Fab 20, a critical part of the company's expansion to support its cutting-edge 2-nanometer (nm) technology. The facility, set to become a key production hub, is expected to begin risk production in 2024, with full-scale mass production targeted for 2025. Fab 20 is part of TSMC’s ambitious plans, which also include a similar facility under construction in Kaohsiung.

This is not the first time that TSMC's Baoshan expansion has experienced accidents. In 2021, two separate incidents at the same site resulted in the deaths of a worker who fell from height and another who was struck by a falling utility pole. These incidents, combined with the most recent fatality, have raised concerns about safety protocols at the construction sites.

TSMC has reiterated its commitment to improving safety standards and ensuring the well-being of its workers as the company navigates these challenges in its race to maintain leadership in semiconductor technology.