man falls into molten steel

Police have ruled Wangs death a suicide. Skip to content. Another worker noted in a social media post that Steven hadonly been there for 5 days and he should not have been on the iron floor without sufficient training. In January 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $10,419 for an incident where a workers finger was severed on the job at the facility. The horrific death of Dierkes follows that of 50-year-old Scott Adams, an electrical contractor, who also fell to his death in the foundry on December 23, 2021. Federal investigatorssay that inadequate safety protections may have contributed to the worker's death and propose to fine the foundry operator Caterpillar of $145,027. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on a factory floor after he . The worker was "immediately incinerated" in the incident, which occurred in June, per the Department of Labor. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. Caterpillar, a Fortune 500 corporation and construction equipment manufacturer, was cited for one willful violation and fined $145,027 by OSHA, according to OSHA's statement announcing the punishment. Scott M. Adams' identity was . Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. "Producing more than 150,000 tons each year, Caterpillar's foundry is one of the nation's largest and they should be acutely aware of industry regulations to protect workers using smelters and other dangerous equipment.". Dierkes is remembered as a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart, who would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Putins former spin doctor-turned-critic dead, Billionaire who killed self mourned by Clintons, Dr. Oz at NYC funeral, Family of nuclear physicist who died by suicide in jail cell sues US Government, Pentagon panel says military bases should stop selling guns to troops under 25 to prevent suicides. Whose leak is it anyway? This story has been shared 106,884 times. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. The death occurred on one of the large melters in the main foundry melting area, Ron said. An Illinois man died instantly after tripping and partially falling into a vat of molten iron. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The foundry at Mapleton produces multiple engine castings using various combinations of metals, which are poured into various molds in different pour zones that produce engine blocks, heads, liners and other manufacturing components. {Read More: Horrific death at Caterpillar Mapleton foundry evokes outpouring of shock and anger among workers}. Tell us what conditions are like in your workplace. He fell onto a concrete floor. These components are the foundation for the companys 115-6,600hp (86- 4,920 kW) engine platforms, the company adds. RIP, buddy., Ron, a veteran Caterpillar worker whose name has been changed to protect him from retaliation, told the World Socialist Web Site, He was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped. An Illinois foundry worker died following an accidental fall into 1,400-degrees Celsius molten iron crucible, which burned half of his body. Federal investigators say inadequate safety protections may be to blame for the worker's death. The UAW betrayed two strikes by Caterpillar workers, in 1991-1992 and in a protracted 17-month-long strike in 1994-1995, which ended with the imposition of the hated two-tier system and a 30 percent cut in wages for new hires by 1998. This was told to the union official down at that particular place of employment. Thursday, November 10, 2022 MAPLETON, IL On June 2, 2022, a 39-year-old employee of a Mapleton foundry fell and was immediately incinerated in an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to. I received a text from my boss early evening last night that we were not to return to work until Monday. Repeated violations result in higher fines. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Caitlyn Jenners mom Esther slams Kardashians show as senseless, Major update in case of Purple Heart recipient, 45, who faked his death at sea, Dad who slit daughters throat after raping & sexually torturing her, Girl, 17, gang-raped in car by five men who offered her a ride after a party. A 39-year-old worker on just his ninth day on the job at a Caterpillar-operated foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, died after falling into a vat of molten iron. "A worker's life could have been spared if Caterpillar had made sure required safety protections were in place, a fact that only adds to this tragedy," expressed OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Miller released the following statement to The Sun: We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2. Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, died. His co-workers said he had been trading stocks and futures for a long time. {Read More: The death of Steven Dierkes: A victim of Americas industrial slaughterhouse}, Steven Dierkes lived down the street from me when we were kids, said Jermaine Pigee, who mourned his friends death in a social media post. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Word spread fast and people were gathering trying to find out what happened. In April 2020, a 47-year-old man committed suicide by jumping from a tall building in Putian City, Fujian Province. If required safety guards or fall protection had been installed, the 39-year-old employee's ninth day on the job might not have been their last.. Half of 39-year-old Steven Dierkess body was found lying on the floor after he supposedly fell into a crucible containing the molten iron, which was roughly 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the New York Post. By Michael Curzon. Investigators with OSHA found that the foundry regularly exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked close to deep containers of molten iron. A father-of-three died when he fell into a vat of . The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent investigators to the Mapleton foundry after an employee fell to his death on June 2, the agency said in a news release. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. They just handed off the injuries to another employer. I dont know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home. Thanks for contacting us. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) _ Three workers plunged from a platform into a pit full of molten steel and died and five other employees were injured in the accident at the Johnstown Corp. steel plant. Everyone likes a good party trick, but the star of a viral Reddit video set a new standard for mind-boggling stunts when he passed his bare hand through a stream of molten metal. We've received your submission. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Sam Courtney-Guy Wednesday 8 Jun 2022 10:09 am. Caterpillar has 15 business days from the time of OSHA's citation to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director to discuss the matter further or contest the findings and citation in front of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. "Producing more than 150,000 tons each year, Caterpillar's foundry is one of the nation's largest and they should be acutely aware of industry regulations to protect workers using smelters and other dangerous equipment.". I've moved away from my family. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. It must have been ghastly for those folks that witnessed it and to wait for the coroner with half of their coworker lying on the floor.. We don't have any money. A 39-year-old worker on just his ninth day on the job at a Caterpillar-operated foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, died after falling into a vat of molten iron. A veteran Caterpillar worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, told theWorld Socialist Web Site(WSWS), that Dierkes was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped.. Mr. Thompson, 55, saw the ladle drop and tried to run, but the molten metal caught up with him. "Caterpillar's failure to meet its legal responsibilities to ensure the safety and health of workers leaves this worker's family, friends and co-workers to grieve needlessly," shared OSHA Area Director Christine Zortman in Peoria. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. On Dec. 17, 1997, while working at Steel Dynamics in Butler, Miller fell into a 5-foot-deep vat of 950-degree zinc. the sellout of Caterpillar workers by the UAW, Sellout at Arconic: The latest showdown between workers and the unions, The UAW betrayal at Caterpillar and the case for rank-and-file committees, US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 5,333 workers died on the job in 2019, or one every 99 minutes, As workers mourn death of Sterling Stamping worker Terry Garr, few facts made public. A HERO blast furnace worker who rescued colleagues in the 2001 explosion at the Port Talbot steelworks died from burns after falling into a molten slag channel at the plant five . According to OSHA, Caterpillar Inc. has received a violation and faces $145,027 worth in fines. Wardle's workmates managed to quickly recover him from the vat, and I do mean quickly. Another Caterpillar worker moved his wife and eight children from Oklahoma to find work at the Mapleton facility. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority at all Caterpillar locations around the world.". Another employee claimed on social media that Dierkes had only been there for five days and didnt have sufficient training to be on the iron floor, according to WSWS. Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, died instantly after he was presumably working alongside a crucible when he fell in, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. One of the worlds biggest manufacturers of industrial vehicles and equipment has been cited and penalized for the death of a worker who fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more than 2,000 degrees this summer. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Tata Steel has been fined 500,000 after a Port Talbot worker was fatally injured after a fall into molten waste. While the new worker was on his probationary period for training, he was fired for reporting a part that fell out of a fixture, causing him a minor injury. All rights reserved. One of the world's biggest manufacturers of industrial vehicles and equipment has been cited and penalized for . Ron, the veteran Caterpillar worker, noted that speedups and outsourcing of the workforce have created increasingly deadly conditions, A number of operations like chip and grind have been outsourced, he said. Ive got girls in high school. Steve Dierkes, a 39-year-old employee and melting specialist at a Caterpillar foundry which produces cast iron engine components in Mapleton, Illinois, was "immediately incinerated" after falling into the huge tub of molten iron that was heated to approximately twice the temperature of volcanic lava on June 2 earlier this year. In the main foundry melting area, Ron said 10,419 for an incident where a workers finger was on! 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