The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration ruled two Ohio industrial companies could have prevented the injuries suffered by employees had they put proper safety protections in place.
At Globe Metallurgical in Waterford, a July 10 steam explosion, triggered by tons of superheated material flowing onto a foundry floor, resulted in severe injuries to a supervisor, according to a Jan. 25 news release. In Canton, three furnace attendants working at TimkenSteel’s Faircrest plant suffered severe injuries July 26 after an electric arc furnace exploded when water became encapsulated in molten metal.
“Globe Metallurgical Inc. might have prevented the severe injuries this employee suffered had the company put required safety protections in place,” OSHA Area Director Larry Johnson in Columbus said in the release. “A company this size should be acutely aware of industry regulations that protect workers who handle molten materials and the required procedures for responding safely to emergencies.”
OSHA determined Globe Metallurgical did not use the required containment measures and did not provide workers who responded to the spill with personal protective equipment, the release reported. The company was cited for one willful violation of the general duty clause for a failure to provide a safe working environment and three serious safety violations.
“The potential for steam explosions from mixing water and molten metal is a well-known and documented industry hazard. TimkenSteel has experience with the hazard and developed company safety procedures to prevent its dangers, but failed to implement them,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland said in the relase. “Employers must protect workers from known hazards whether a specific OSHA standard exists or not.”
All three workers in Canton were hospitalized, and one died Aug. 19, the release reported. Investigators from OSHA determined that TimkenSteel failed to provide the attendants with protection from potential steam explosions. The company was cited for one willful violation of the general duty clause and proposed $145,027 in penalties.
