Several distinct explosions are being reported this week in a U.S. Steel plant over in Pennsylvania, where two deaths have been confirmed and almost a dozen injured; the complete story of what happened at the worksite is still being investigated. Read, “Explosions at US Steel plant leaves two dead, 10 injured,” written by Rich MCKay and Julia Harte and published by Reuters on August 11, 2025.
Hearing of an industrial accident involving steelworkers is particularly alarming to Hoosiers, because so many of us either earn a living in one of the many Indiana steel mills, or have family members or friends who do. It’s scary to think about how dangerous each day on the job is for our steel workers. Our sincere condolences go out to all those suffering in the aftermath of this week’s worksite tragedy.
Top Steel Producing State: Indiana
Steel employs lots of people here. The State of Indiana is known to be the nation’s top steel producer. It has maintained this top-ranking in the steel industry for many years (since 1975). Read, “Indiana leads nation in steel production, continuing reign as top steelmaking state,” written by Joseph S. Pete of the Times of Northwest Indiana and published by the Indiana Economic Digest on February 1, 2025.
Workers here may be employed in any number of facilities, doing a variety of skilled tasks, and paid by any number of employers. The interconnecting duties of care and safety for workers is complex. More than one company or organization may have responsibilities to keep people safe on the job, and a failure by any one of them may have horrific consequences.
Consider the following Indiana steel industry worksites:
1.Gary Steel Works
Owned by U.S. Steel, Gary Works is the largest integrated steel mill in North America. It is huge. There are four blast furnaces; six oxygen process vessels; slab casters; hot rolling mills; cold rolling mills, tinning lines, and more in its infrastructure. It has the ability to produce over 7.5 million net tons of raw steel in a single year.
2. Burns Harbor Steel Works
The Cleveland-Cliffs (formerly ArcelorMittal) steelmaking facility operating at Burns Harbor, on Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana, describes itself as the “second-largest U.S. facility,” with two blast furnaces and the ability to make over 5 million net tons of raw steel each year.
3. Indiana Harbor Works
The Cleveland-Cliffs (formerly Inland Steel) in East Chicago, Indiana, is also one of the largest steel production facilities in the United States and a historically famous one: it has been in operation since 1901. The plant has a blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, and an electric arc furnace. It is known for developing automotive products for the nation’s motor vehicle manufacturers.
Mini-Mills and More
Alongside these monster steel mills, there are several “mini-mills” in Indiana that are impressive contributors to the steel industry in their own right. Among them are:
- NLMK Indiana;
- Nucor in Crawfordsville;
- Steel Dynamics in Butler; and
- Steel Dynamics in Jeffersonville.
There are also numerous steel fabricators, as well as various service and distribution centers throughout the State of Indiana.
Dangers Facing Indiana Steel Workers
Obviously, at any hour of the day or night, there will be workers on the job at these vital and important steel workplaces using their skills and expertise to perform special types of tasks that are unique to the steel industry. These job sites are a hubbub of activity, and facing stressors like heat, noise, and hazards that come with working with or alongside heavy machinery and equipment.
All those with possession, custody, or control of Indiana steel worksites have duties of care and safety placed upon them by federal regulations and industrial standards. There are many who have these duties. And there are a great many safety measures created and imposed to try and stop things like:
- burns
- crush injuries
- electric shock injuries
- electrocutions
- falls from heights
- inhalation of toxic fumes
- struck-by injuries
- traumatic amputations.
For more, read: Steelworkers’ Dangers on the Job: Top Five Steel Industry Hazards.
Serious Accidents at Steel Facilities: Claims for Injuries
Sadly, steel workers in Indiana will suffer significant bodily harm on the job where they and their loved ones will face life-altering consequences. There are laws in place to help them. The steel worker victim has a right to independently investigate the incident to determine the extent of legal culpability that may be shared by several different entities (companies; professionals; individuals) for not only the accident victim’s injuries but those suffered by family members, too.
For more, read:
- Ironworkers in Indiana and Illinois: High Risk of Serious or Fatal Injuries on the Job
- Steel Mill Workers in Indiana and Illinois: Rising Production and Greater Danger of Injury or Death
- Steel Mill Workers’ Risk of Injury on the Job: Equipment, Working Conditions
- The Courage That’s Needed to Work in Steel Mills.
Also see:
- Work Accident in Illinois or Indiana: Workers Compensation Claim vs. Personal Injury Damages
- 10 Types of Workers Compensation Benefits After a Work Accident in Illinois or Indiana
- 10 Types of Injury Damages That May Be Awarded to Accident Victims.
Indiana is world-renowned for its steel industry, and those working in our steel facilities rightfully take pride in being part of a respected heritage. Nevertheless, the risks of being severely hurt or even killed in an accident in a steel mill or steel facility remains shockingly high. This danger for workers remains in the face of so many safety regulations and industrial standards in place for their protection. Steel work is dangerous work. Please be careful out there!
