Side-effects may include nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, mood disorders, and death. In the video, posted to r/WTF on Wednesday, a bald-headed man, hanging out in a metal smelting plant, removes his protective gloves, crouches by a small waterfall of glowing, white-hot metal, and smacks the stream . A worker at a Caterpillar foundry died instantly after he fell into a crucible at the Illinois worksite, officials say, according to media reports. Caterpillar has 15 working days to either comply with the proposed penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings of the investigation. The union has also done nothing to protect workers from the unsafe conditions workers face since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Downey, 49, fell five years after being hailed a hero for his actions after . Investigators with OSHA found that the foundry regularly exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked close to deep containers of molten iron. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. THIS IS the horrifying moment a desperate factory worker jumped into a super-heated 900C steel furnace after allegedly losing 6,000 on the stock market. He had. Caterpillar employee immediately incinerated after falling into pot of molten iron, OSHA says, Parent volunteer charged in alleged relationship with a minor, California board denies parole for RFK killer Sirhan Sirhan, Manager shot, killed at Hobby Lobby warehouse. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, A video by Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry shows iron being melted at 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. Caterpillar workers: We want to hear from you. The company said Wang went missing March 24 while on night duty at the facility, prompting a search by fellow workers. The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. A 25-year-old electrician had a serious brush with death after falling into a 720 C vat of molten aluminium. A spokesperson for the foundry Lisa Miller, said: 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., Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. Dierkes, a resident of Peoria, was apparently working near the crucible, where different metals are melted at a temperature of over 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, when he fell in. He had lost over a million yuan $152,000 in the stock market, officials said. Dierkes' death was the second to occur at the Mapleton foundry in six months. Mr. Tiller, who had just finished on the shift that ended at 7 a.m., heard the fire alarm. 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. (RELATED: 72-Year-Old Woman Dies Hiking In Park That Authorities Closed Down Years Ago), Americas Got Talent Star Jonathan Goodwin Paralyzed After Getting Crushed And Caught On Fire https://t.co/ZlVm7PhosX, Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 4, 2022, 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, Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Millar said in an email to the outlet, Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. Stay up to date with what you want to know. {Read More: Horrific death at Caterpillar Mapleton foundry evokes outpouring of shock and anger among workers}. 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. 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. Its very punishing work with a lot of carpal tunnel and similar injuries. 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. In an exchange in 2016 between a UAW safety representative and OSHA, it was revealed that Caterpillar frequently retaliated against employees who reported safety violations, while the UAW did practically nothing. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Four thousand pounds of molten steel poured into an open pit after the lid blew off a caster at the foundry Wednesday at 5 p.m. Ron was unable to report on the conditions of the foundry melting area. In 2020, OSHA fined theCaterpillar Mapleton facility $5,750 for a serious safety violation concerning fall protection systems and falling objects. The full details have not been made public by OSHA. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on . 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. 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. 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.. The reason it was outsourced is because of high injury numbers and workers comp experience, he said. After earning his bachelor's degree from Penn State in Advertising/Public Relations, Caleb went to New York where he learned production assistance, photography and art direction. "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.". They just handed off the injuries to another employer. "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.". The employee was. 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 more . In December 2021, 50-year-old Scott M. Adams also took a fatal plunge in the factory. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". . I was working with a guy shaking out 3600 diesel blocks with a 50 ton bridge crane once and gave him a run down of what not to do. 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. Tom Wood. FAQ - New Privacy Policy, Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. A father-of-three was killed instantly at work following an accident involving molten iron at almost 1,500C. Soros-backed Spanish radio stations out to 'disinform' Mia 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Family raises 250-pound 'dog' for 2 years then realizes it's a bear, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Teen Mom alum Ryan Edwards arrested after stalking wife Mackenzie, Kim Kardashian models thong bikini, belly chain in sexy new pics, Kyle Richards gives an update on her friendship with RHOBH alum Lisa Rinna, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle confirm they were asked to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage. Kevin Downey. Ive got girls in high school. 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. He lost more than one million yuan (equivalent to 152,000 US dollars) on the stock exchange, the police said in a statement. At 10:00 a.m. on July 25, 2017, an employee was working in the iron foundry of a manufacturer of construction equipment. I received a text from my boss early evening last night that we were not to return to work until Monday. Dierkes death was the third in 30 years since Ron had started working there. A 39-year-old Caterpillar worker, Steven Dierkes, died instantly last Thursday after falling into a molten iron crucible at the company's Mapleton, Illinois foundry. In November 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $4,337 for a serious health and safety violation at the Mapleton facility. St Gallen police The incident took place at a factory in St Gallen in Switzerland. 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. In April 2020, a 47-year-old man also committed suicide in China for similar reasons by jumping from a high-rise building in a hospital in the city of Putian, the news outlet reported. He had allegedly lost more than 60,000 yuan (S$12,281) on Mar. 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 incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at Caterpillar's facility in Mapleton in Central Illinois, Peoria County coroner Jamie Harwood said. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority at all Caterpillar locations around the world.". Shocking video captured the moment a despondent steel factory worker in China took his own life by jumping into a blast furnace after reportedly losing just over $9,000 in the stock market. "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. Federal investigators say inadequate safety protections may be to blame for the worker's death. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails or covers to protect workers from falling into dangerous equipment. 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.. 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. 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. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. The crane began moving and struck the employee. His services were no longer needed. Worker dies in molten metal tragedy A 52-year-old man has died after falling into a vat of molten zinc. Scott M. Adams' identity was . Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, was. One of them being, if the hooks fall out of the block or gating or whatever just get back and let it all fall. Skip to content. The tragic incident follows the death of 50-year-old Scott Adams, an electrical contractor, who also died after falling in the foundry in 2021. A worker fell into a pool of 720C molten aluminium at a factory - but somehow he survived. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. has received a violation and faces $145,027 worth in fines. Full details have not been released by OSHA for either case. 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. A friend of mine worked for a company down in Florida that would pour concrete sea walls, their company was violated for the same issues multiple times, no deaths had even occurred and some individual fines were $400,000 and this was over 10 years ago. He said 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. Steven Dierkes, 39, was working near a crucible . He died instantly, but not all of him went in. "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. 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.. 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 more than 2,000 degrees this summer. A 25-year-old electrician has had a miracle escape after falling into a furnace filled with liquid aluminium at 720C/1,328F.Incredibly, despite the searing p. Then, wed play video games all night. The U.S. Department . An Illinois man died instantly after he allegedly fell into a vat of molten iron in early June. Tell us what conditions are like in your workplace. 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 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. An OSHA investigation found "the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards" while they worked within 4 feet of containers of molten iron. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. 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.. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Sam Courtney-Guy Wednesday 8 Jun 2022 10:09 am. 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. "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. as well as other partner offers and accept our. 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. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. 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