Mini-mills in Indiana and Illinois are known within the industry to be cost-effective and fast in the production of steel, and more and more steelworkers in our part of the country are employed in a local mini-mill. The key distinction here: the use of electric-arc furnaces in these facilities, with all the unique hazards they bring with them. For more, read Mini-Mills in Illinois and Indiana: Dangerous Workplaces.
Steelworkers Facing Greatest Risk of Being Hurt in a Mini-Mill Accident
Of course, dangers exist in every area of a steel mill, no matter its size or production type. The steel industry as a whole is notorious for being very dangerous for anyone on the site. See, Steelworkers’ Dangers on the Job: Top Five Steel Industry Hazards.
However, within the mini-mills, there are some steelworkers who face a higher risk of a serious work accident than others. Those working closest to the molten metal obviously face great danger, like operators of the furnaces, ladles, and cranes.
Steelworkers involved in maintenance, refractory, and rigging trades are also at high risk of injury, since they may be working with less standardized safety controls (think repairs, etc.). And there are those tasked with scrap-handling and working the yard, where there is an ever-present risk of being exposed to contamination or being at the epicenter of an explosion.
For safety agencies and advocates for worker victims and their loved ones, consideration of steelworker risks in a mini-mill do not end here. All sorts of jobs in a mini-mill bring that steelworker into the face of danger, where they can suffer catastrophic or deadly bodily injuries in seconds.
Work Accidents Involving Explosions of Molten Metal or Steam
In a mini-mill, there can be an explosion of steam consisting of metal and water whenever the steam is trapped inside scrap, slag, or refractory comes into contact with the fiercely hot molten steel; pressure is created that pushes out the molten metal and slag in a horrific and often deadly event. These explosions usually involve things like contaminated scrap, poor handling practices, or substandard processes and procedures. See, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Deadly mix: Federal workplace safety investigations find severe injuries, fatality caused by steam explosions at 2 Ohio companies.” News Release, 25 Jan. 2023.
When there is an explosion at a mini-mill involving steam or molten metal, the following steelworkers are very likely to be hurt in the blast:
- Furnace Operators
- Chargehouse Operators
- Crane Operators
- Maintenance Technicians
- Scrap Handlers
- Yard Laborers.
Mini-Mill Explosions of the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)
EAFs define our mini-mills, but they exist with extreme risk to all who are near them. EAFs can explode, and these horrific events are usually either (1) carbon‑monoxide / combustible‑gas explosions during decarburization or (2) steam/water-triggered molten‑metal explosions. In EAF explosions, the underlying reason for the tragedy will be the rapid generation of the carbon-monoxide or the steam within the EAF roof or headspace, which is ignited by things like oxygen (an ignition source). For more, read: Ferguson, Scott, and Nick Zsamboky. “Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Explosions: A Deadly but Preventable Problem.” Iron Steel Technol 14.1 (2017): 30-35 and U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Carbon Monoxide Explosion Hazards in Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking Operations. SHIB 12‑04‑15, 4 Dec. 2015.
Steelworkers in mini-mills facing the highest risk of being hurt or killed in an EAF explosion include:
- EAF Operators
- Meltshop Operators
- Metallurgists
- Process Control Technicians
- Shift Supervisors
- Tapping Crew Members
- Taphole Operators
- Tapping Helpers.
Mini-Mill Injuries Caused by Molten Metal Splashes, Run Outs, And Ladle Failures
Another type of horrendous mini-mill accident happens with the molten metal itself. Sometimes, it will escape from a ladle or tundish lining. Maybe there is a failure in a stopper rod or slide gate. Bottom line is that no matter how it happens, when the hot, liquified metal hits water or even damp scrap, any worker nearby can be seriously injured or killed by any bodily contact with this stuff. See, Pluchon, Christian, et al. “Molten Metal Safety Approach Through a Network.” Light Metals 2011. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2011. 657-662.
Mini-mill steelworkers likely to be hurt in these types of on-the-job accidents include:
- Boilermakers
- Casting Operators
- Ladle Operators
- Ladle Crane Operators
- Maintenance Millwrights
- Refractory Liners
- Refractory Technicians
- Tundish Operators.
Other Hazards Facing Mini-Mill Steelworkers: Equipment, Machinery, Toxins
In addition to the above ongoing dangers, steelworkers in our local mini-mills are also facing constant risks of injury where they can be hurt or killed in struck-by or crushing accidents, given the heavy machinery and equipment present on their jobsite, as well as being permanently disabled or killed from exposures to toxins, from deadly dust, to fumes or asphyxiants. Some of these mini-mill workers with a higher likelihood of being injured in these types of work accidents include:
- Chemists
- Cutters
- EAF Dust Collector Operators
- Forklift Operators
- Grinder Operators
- Laboratory Technicians
- Logistics Coordinators
- Material Handlers
- Overhead Crane Operators
- Riggers
- Signalpersons
- Utility Technicians
- Welders
- Yard Supervisors.
For more, read: Worker Dangers in the Steel Mills and Steel Factories of Indiana; Indiana Remains Top Steel Producer in the Nation: The Deadly Dangers of Steel Production; and Steel Mill Workers Risk of Injury on the Job: Equipment, Working Conditions.
Safety Regulations and Industrial Standards to Protect Mini-Mill Steelworkers
Of course, these are not unusual or unknown worksite hazards. Longstanding statutes and regulations are on the books as well as numerous published industrial standards, all working to help keep steelworkers safe from harm while on the job in a mini-mill here in Illinois or Indiana.
These include industrial standards such as ANSI/ASME B30 Series (cranes, rigging); NFPA 70 (electrical safety); and AIST technical papers. Legal duties may be found within the Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) which must be followed under the laws of Illinois and Indiana, such as 29 CFR §1910.147; 29 CFR 1910 Subpart N; and 29 CFR §1910.212.
Not only employers but all those with possession, custody, or control of aspects of the mini-mill operations are legally required to meet legal duties of safety and care. Failures to do so can result in significant legal liability for any mini-mill accidents.
Mini-mill steelworkers hurt in a work accident may have personal injury claims to pursue independently of any claims for benefits filed under their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy.
For more, read:
- 7 Different Parties Who Can Be Liable for Indiana Steel Worker Injury
- Steel Mill Workers in Indiana and Illinois: Rising Production and Greater Danger of Injury or Death
- The Steel Industry is Dangerous: How Can Personal Injury Attorneys Help Steel Workers Hurt on the Job?
- Workers’ Compensation and Third-Party Claims for On-the-Job Accidents.
Steelworkers in our local mini-mills face shocking risks each day they go to work, where job site dangers can cause deadly work accidents in an instant. Different workers face different risks at the mini-mill workplace. Please be careful out there!
