Mr. Thompson, 55, saw the ladle drop and tried to run, but the molten metal caught up with him. One of the world's biggest manufacturers of industrial vehicles and equipment has been cited and penalized for . Tom Wood. No foul play is suspected in the incident, coronerJamie Harwood said, adding that the matter is under investigation by the sheriffs office and occupational safety and health administration, reported Peoria Journal Star. The report stated, At 4:47 am on November 1, 2017, an employee walked down an automated crane aisle to check a crane that he believed had faulted. He just disappeared instantly, a worker who saw the surveillance footage told the Xiaoxiang Morning Post. Skip to content. Tata Steel has been fined 500,000 after a Port Talbot worker was fatally injured after a fall into molten waste. The Midvale Steel Company manufactured steel parts for the railroad and the armaments industries. Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. One worker who suffered an injury after falling over a trip hazard was fired by the company. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". Despite suffering 100% burns, he would die later that day in the hospital. The report noted: An employee was repairing a broken chain on an overhead conveyor system. He sustained six broken ribs. Steven Dierkes, the 39-year-old employee of a Mapleton foundry, fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and was "immediately incinerated." PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) WMBD/WYZZ is following up on a report of a Liberty Steel worker falling into a vat of acid in Peoria Monday. In 2013, a line at our foundry was eliminated. We are proactively appeasing the emotions of his family and carrying out psychological guidance for our workers, the company said in a statement, according to the South China Morning Post. Wang Long, 34, an employee at Baogang Group in Baotou, Inner Monglia, is seen removing his safety helmet and gloves, placing them on the ground as he hesitates before hurling himself into the molten steel, the South China Morning Post reported. TESLA'S TEXAS GIGAFACTORY FACES MORE COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED LABOR VIOLATIONS, "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," OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago said in a statement. A worker fell into a pool of 720C molten aluminium at a factory - but somehow he survived. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational. An OSHA investigation found "the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards" while they worked within 4 feet of containers of molten iron. Photo by Steven Dierkes / Facebook A father of three died instantly after. On June 2, a 39-year-old melting specialist died at a Caterpillar-owned foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, after falling into an "11-foot-deep" pot of molten iron that had been heated to over. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. . 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.. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. OSHA said in a news release Wednesday that the death of the 39-year-old employee happened on June 2 at a Caterpillar foundry in central Illinois, which produces cast iron engine components. We naturally grew up together. So, I guess that's somewhat comforting. A 39-year-old Caterpillar worker, Steven Dierkes, died instantly last Thursday after falling into a molten iron crucible at the companys Mapleton, Illinois foundry. Half of 39-year-old Steven Dierkes's 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. I've moved away from my family. This story has been shared 106,884 times. They were told that its because you guys are getting hurt and our work comp costs are going up. A 39-year-old worker died after falling into a molten iron vat of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit molten - leaving half of his body lying on the floor. Place is dangerous AF and doesn't leave much room for stupid even with all the safety regs. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority at all Caterpillar locations around the world.". He died instantly, but not all of him went in. It was really tough to sit there and hand the guy Kleenexes in my office as he cried, and he talked about, What am I going to do now? FAQ - New Privacy Policy, Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. On Dec. 17, 1997, while working at Steel Dynamics in Butler, Miller fell into a 5-foot-deep vat of 950-degree zinc. "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.". Company fined after man dies from fall into pot of molten iron twice as hot as lava. The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at Caterpillar's facility in Mapleton in Central Illinois, Peoria County coroner Jamie Harwood said. In a perfunctory and hollow statement, a spokesperson for Caterpillar stated, 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. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A federal investigation determined that, if proper safety guards had been installed, the death could have been avoided, OSHA said. Following Adams incident, Caterpillar released a statement toNBC Chicagosaying an investigation was underway and the company was deeply saddened., The company said: Our thoughts are with the workers family, friends and colleagues., The Mapleton Foundry is described onCaterpillars websiteas one of the largest in the United States., Caterpillar explains: It can melt up to 1,000 tons of iron each day to produce finished castings ranging from 15lb liners to 22,000lb cylinder blocks.. 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All comments will be published anonymously. He and his family are in all of our thoughts and prayers. The death of the worker has gone unacknowledged by the UAW International so far. 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, the worker told the outlet. The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at . We've received your submission. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A worker at a Caterpillar foundry died instantly after he fell into a crucible at the Illinois worksite, officials say, according to media reports. It was only his ninth day on the job, OSHA said. Caterpillar did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, sent outside normal working hours. 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. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Adams was contracted from Shaefer Electric to work at the Caterpillar foundry, where he was installing new equipment. A 39-year-old worker died after falling into a molten iron vat of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit molten leaving half of his body lying on the floor. The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. Wardle's workmates managed to quickly recover him from the vat, and I do mean quickly. 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. The dad-of-threes death comes six months after another deadly fall at the Mapleton foundry. The company would "continue to engage with OSHA to seek an appropriate resolution to its review," the spokesperson added. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. 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. Presumably the company would have their whitewash mixed by then, he added. We've received your submission. PEOPLE. 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. Lean Jinghui | April 06, 2021, 05:47 PM . Steven Dierkes, 39, was taking a sample from the 1,400C crucible when he tripped and fell in, killing him. Caterpillar has 15 business days from the time of OSHAs citation to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director to discuss the matter further or contest the findings and citation in front of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Dierkes death was the third in 30 years since Ron had started working there. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: 72-Year-Old Woman Dies Hiking In Park That Authorities Closed Down Years Ago), occupational safety and health administration. One of the world's 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. "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. This is the second death of a worker in the last six months at the Caterpillar facility, which has faced increasing safety violations in recent years. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Market data provided byFactset. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Investigators say if safety guards were installed, if might have prevented the accident. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? "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," said OSHA Area Director Christine Zortman in Peoria, Illinois. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. They just handed off the injuries to another employer. Wang Long . I dont know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home. Steven Dierkes, 39, was killed instantly when he stumbled into . 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. China Steel Factory Suicide 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. Worker dies in molten metal tragedy A 52-year-old man has died after falling into a vat of molten zinc. They dropped a 10-ton hook and block from an overhead gantry crane on a man during the strike, he said of the first fatality decades ago. Although falling into a pool of molten metal would be severely painful, our pain receptors overload at temperatures above 60 C (140 F) and become numb. He fell onto a concrete floor. A father-of-three died when he fell into a vat of molten iron, a coroner has said. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US . Steven Dierkes, worker who died after accidentally falling into vat of molten iron in Illinois on June 2, 2022. According to his obituary, Dierkes is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. The recent history of OSHA violations point to a pattern of unsafe conditions for workers. This was told to the union official down at that particular place of employment. 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. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on . 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.. A worker at the factory said in a social media post, according to the website, that he had been employed for 5 days and did not have sufficient training to be on the iron floor. The Mapleton, Illinois Caterpillar facility has been the site of numerous safety and health violations in the past 30 years since the sellout of Caterpillar workers by the UAW in the 1990s. 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., The worker, called Ron to protect his identity claims the death occurred on one of the large melters in the main foundry melting area.. Investigators with OSHA found that the foundry regularly exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked close to deep containers of molten iron. Caterpillar, a Fortune 500 corporation and construction equipment manufacturer, was cited for one willful violation and fined $145,027 by OSHA, according to OSHAs statement announcing the punishment. While an OSHA investigation is still under way more than six months after his death, Adams allegedly climbed a ladder and fell some 20 feet through a floor opening that was not properly covered. It was only the employees ninth day on the job. The worker was "immediately. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Dierkes was only on the ninth day of his new job when he died. "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. 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. The throat mucus layer had been completely burned off, and the muscle was cooked or damaged to the depth of about 1 cm, they report. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. An Illinois foundry worker died following an accidental fall into 1,400-degrees Celsius molten iron crucible, which burned half of his body. Anobituary for Dierkes, via PJ Star, notes the worker passed away at 9:23 a.m. from a workplace accident.. MAPLETON, Ill. (Gray News) A Caterpillar employee was immediately incinerated when he fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A 39-year-old employee on their ninth day of work at a Caterpillar foundry in Illinois fell into a melting pot of iron "and was immediately incinerated," authorities said. To the union official down at that particular place of employment AF and doesn #... Their whitewash mixed by then, he added out the form at the Mapleton foundry the internets into a of! If safety guards had been installed, if might have prevented the.. 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