Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307235457 - Republic Engineered Products Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Toledo Area Office

Investigation Summary

On January 6, 2005, two full ladles of molten steel needed to be recycled back into the basic oxygen furnace. The employees on the Teeming Aisle side of the building were told that that both ladles would be a "full heat recycle" in that all of the molten steel in the ladle would be added back into the furnace for recycling. The Ladle Coordinator and Crane Operator placed the first ladle on the recycle car and transferred the full ladle to the Charging Aisle, where the molten metal would be added back into the furnace. While the first ladle was on the Charging Aisle, a decision was made on that side to change the recycling of the molten steel from a full recycle to a half recycle, in which only half of the molten metal would be added first and after a period of time, the second half would be added. This decision was made to adjust the chemistry of the metal being produced. The decision of changing the recycle from a full heat to a half heat was not communicated to the Ladle Coordinator and the Crane Operator on the Teeming Aisle. Once half of the molten metal was emptied into the furnace, the ladle half full of molten steel was placed back onto the recycle car until the remaining material could be added to the furnace. The Crane Operator on the Teeming Aisle saw the ladle being placed back onto the recycle car. Believing the ladle was empty because of the original communication that the heat was to be full heats recycle, the Crane Operator radioed the Ladle Coordinator to transfer the ladle back to the Teeming Side so the ladle could be inspected and refurbished for another heat of steel. The Ladle Coordinator, who usually does not operates the controls of the recycle car to transfer the ladle from the Charging Aisle to the Teeming Aisle, used the controls for the recycle car located on the Teeming Aisle to bring the ladle back to the Teeming Aisle. After the ladle was on the Teeming Aisle, the Crane Operator moved the ladle over the cradle, where it was to be placed on its side. As the Crane Operator lowered the ladle and tipped the ladle onto its side, the molten metal poured out and spread across the floor. An employee of Resco Products was completing paperwork in a steel shanty directly across from the ladle and molten metal was traveling up-to and into the shanty. The employee tried to out run the flow of the molten metal but tripped while climbing over some equipment and stumbled into the molten metal. The employee suffered from third degree burns on his hand, legs, and his some of his face was also burned. He was hospitalized and treated for burns.

Keywords: BURN, CONSTRUCTION, MOLTEN METAL, FACE, HAND, LEG