A tragic accident occurred at the construction site of TSMC’s Fab 22 complex in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, resulting in three worker fatalities and one person in intensive care. The incident involved a fall from an upper floor during steel-structure installation, with preliminary reports suggesting a broken bolt on a connection plate as the cause.
The site is part of a project to expand 2nm manufacturing capacity, with total investment for the five-phase complex estimated at over TWD 1.5 trillion, or approximately $46 billion. Construction on Phase 4 began in August 2025, and the facility is slated to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2027.
TSMC has suspended construction work in the affected area and is cooperating with authorities. The company is currently managing an aggressive expansion plan, which includes building 13 new advanced-packaging and leading-edge fabs in Taiwan, supported by a total annual capital expenditure of $60 billion to $64 billion.
Company executives acknowledge that the increased pace of construction and higher worker density have elevated safety risks. While TSMC reported a 42% reduction in contractor lost-time injury rates as of late May, the firm is now planning to establish a construction safety association with its partners to improve oversight.
