Dierkes death was the third in 30 years since Ron had started working there. 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. An Illinois man died instantly after he allegedly fell into a vat of molten iron in early June. "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.". "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". The incident took place at the Caterpillar foundry in Mapleton, the Peoria County coroner told the Peoria Journal Star. An OSHA investigation found "the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards" while they worked within 4 feet of containers of molten iron. Long reportedly committed suicide after losing money in the stock market. An Illinois foundry worker died following an accidental fall into 1,400-degrees Celsius molten iron crucible, which burned half of his body. More than 800 people are employed at the Caterpillar foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, and the foundry manufactures "engine components used for construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives," according to OSHA. FAQ - New Privacy Policy, Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. Man falls into 720C molten aluminium furnace but survives after pulling himself out The 25-year-old Swiss man suffered extensive burns but survived to tell the tale. by Colin Fluxman | Published November 10, 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 more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. 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. 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 was told to the members in a factory meeting. 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. Wardle's workmates managed to quickly recover him from the vat, and I do mean quickly. More than six months after his death, the investigation is still underway. Another wrote: Life is precious. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on a factory floor after he . Steven Dierkes, worker who died after accidentally falling into vat of molten iron in Illinois on June 2, 2022. Was heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. He was transported and admitted to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.. 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. 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. A father-of-three was killed instantly at work following an accident involving molten iron at almost 1,500C. Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. The employee who died was a melting specialist who was removing a sample of iron from a furnace when he fell into the melting pot. Skip to content. This story has been shared 106,884 times. More than 800 people are employed at the Caterpillar foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, and the foundry manufactures engine components used for construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives, according to OSHA. 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. 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. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided byRefinitiv Lipper. I say that because local media are little more than advertising for Caterpillar.. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. China Steel Factory Suicide 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 . Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry died due to an occupational accident last Thursday, Peoria County Sheriffs Office Captain Chris Watkins said. In November 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $4,337 for a serious health and safety violation at the Mapleton facility. Scott M. Adams' identity was . Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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. 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. Jan. 18, 1982 Man jumps into molten steel; officials rule suicide PITTSBURGH -- Company officials say a worker committed suicide by jumping into a ladle of molten steel but his family. Sign up for notifications from Insider! The family of Caleb Otieno, an employee of Thika-based Blue Nile Rolling Mills Ltd, who was killed after he fell into a vat of molten steel last month, is entangled in a row . 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. has received a violation and faces $145,027 worth in fines. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) broke the news Wednesday, revealing it was only the 39-year-old's ninth day on the job. The employee placed his hands, one finger to pick up the chain next to the sprocket and received a finger amputation., Caterpillar was fined $25,868 in November 2017 for a safety violation. A representative from the Bartonville Police Department said . 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. 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. We won't get into all the gory details . Caterpillars production demands almost invariably lead to accidents due to rushing.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The worker was "immediately incinerated" in the incident, which occurred in June, per the Department of Labor. Caterpillars failure to meet its legal responsibilities to ensure the safety and health of workers leaves this workers family, friends and co-workers to grieve needlessly, OSHA Area Director Christine Zortman said. 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. Caterpillar has 15 business days penalties to comply, request a conference or contest the findings. She broke her arm, he said, she damaged her knee, and she lost her job. And he added of the UAWs inability to protect the worker, because I got the complaint late, she lost her house and she ended up living in her car.. 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These components are the foundation for the companys 115-6,600hp (86- 4,920 kW) engine platforms, the company adds. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The BBC's Joe Campbell reports: Alan Wardour, of Higham, Kent, suffered 100% burns when he fell into the vat containing molten metal heated to 400C. Side-effects may include nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, mood disorders, and death. 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. The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. The horrific death of the employee has raised questions over safety and health violations at the factory among workers and locals. I've moved away from my family. Kevin Downey. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve., Steven Dierkes, 39, is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. Anobituary for Dierkes, via PJ Star, notes the worker passed away at 9:23 a.m. from a workplace accident.. We've received your submission. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. Dierkes' death was the second to occur at the Mapleton foundry in six months. 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.. "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," he added. 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. Whose leak is it anyway? 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.". NOW WATCH: Truck drivers block roads in Brazil after far-right president loses reelection bid. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. The United Auto Workers (UAW), which oversees a number of Caterpillar workers, said little more: Local 974 lost one of our members this morning in a tragic accident at our Mapleton facility. Wang Long, 34, went missing from a. Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said that no foul play is suspected, according to the Peoria Journal Star. David Clark News Reporter. A father-of-three died when he fell into a vat of molten iron, a coroner has said. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. Steve Mitchell, the UAWs safety chairman for the plant, admitted to a panel of investigators that the company fired workers who reported safety issues, while fecklessly stating, Im not here to speak badly about Caterpillar., In recent years at my local, Mitchell stated then, weve filed 53 11(c) complaints [whistleblower complaints under the section 11(c) of the OSHA act of 1970], and we havent had one complaint thats come in our favor. He added that people who made these complaints were disciplined or discharged and they expressed to [him] that they wish theyd never reported their injuries, and thats a sad state of affairs when you consider that your worst day at work of getting hurt just got made worse by potentially losing your job., Mitchell detailed horrific stories of workers who got fired as well. OSHA cited Caterpillar Inc. for one willful violation. St Gallen police The incident took place at a factory in St Gallen in Switzerland. "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," said OSHA's regional administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. We don't have any money. The death occurred on one of the large melters in the main foundry melting area, Ron said. 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