Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees in that employees were exposed to struck-by and burn hazards from rapidly expanding steam associated with water infiltration into molten metal; On or about February 20, 2023, and at times prior, the employer failed to ensure employees were protected from the recognized hazard of steam explosions caused by the No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces water jacket components leaking water into and contacting the liquid molten metal bath inside the furnaces, which could likely cause death or serious injury to employees. The employer allowed production to continue when known water leaks from the water jacket were entering the interior of the Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces. The employer required Furnace Operators and Furnace Assistants to rotate and pour the Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces while water was actively leaking from the water jackets into the liquid molten metal bath, causing or likely to cause a steam explosion from water becoming encapsulated in the liquid molten metal bath.