Mazda Motor Corp.’s only U.S. assembly plant...

Mazda Motor Corp.’s only U.S. assembly plant had a higher than normal injury rate in 1988, with many of the problems stemming from repetitive work routines, Automotive News reported. The plant in Flat Rock, Mich., reported 97 repeat or cumulative trauma injuries in 1988, out of a work force of 2,770 workers, the publication reported. By comparison, Chrysler Corp.’s Sterling Heights, Mich., plant, which employs 3,500 workers, had 54 such injuries. The publication said many of the injuries resulted from repetitive work such as tasks using air-powered tools. Automotive News said two workers have filed suit against the auto maker, claiming that they were fired or not called back to work after suffering their injuries.