A 39-year-old worker on just his ninth day on the job at a Caterpillar-operated foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, died after falling into a vat of molten iron. 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. Swiss man survives after falling into molten aluminium The 25-year-old electrician fell through a trapdoor into a vat of burning hot metal, but somehow managed to pull himself out and is now being treated for his burns in hospital. No foul play is suspected in the incident, coronerJamie Harwood said, adding that the matter is under investigation by the sheriffs office and occupational safety and health administration, reported Peoria Journal Star. All comments will be kept anonymous. In 2013, a line at our foundry was eliminated. An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as the sheriff and coroners offices is presently underway. A man was killed instantly at work after tripping and falling into a vat of molten iron which was almost 1,500C. Ive got girls in high school. Ron was unable to report on the conditions of the foundry melting area. Per federal safety regulations, Caterpillar Inc. was required to install guardrails or some type of restraint to protect their employees. According to OSHA, Caterpillar Inc. has received a violation and faces $145,027 worth in fines. The reason it was outsourced is because of high injury numbers and workers comp experience, he said. PEOPLE. Another Caterpillar worker moved his wife and eight children from Oklahoma to find work at the Mapleton facility. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority., Dierkes reportedly fell just before 10 am, and an anonymous employee told the World Socialist Web Site, that Dierkes was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped.. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. He fell onto a concrete floor. MAPLETON, Ill. Caterpillar Inc. is facing proposed fines of more than $145,000 after a federal investigation concluded that the construction-equipment manufacturer failed to install necessary. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. Company fined after man dies from fall into pot of molten iron twice as hot as lava. Caterpillar has 15 working days to either comply with the proposed penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings of the investigation. I havent seen the melting area in years, let alone the melt deck itself, so I cannot report what conditions are like. 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. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails or covers to protect workers from falling into dangerous equipment. Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, was. Wang Long . A 39-year-old Caterpillar worker, Steven Dierkes, died instantly last Thursday after falling into a molten iron crucible at the company's Mapleton, Illinois foundry. 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. It is believed Adams stepped off a ladder before falling through a hole in the floor. 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. Scott M. Adams' identity was . The company said Wang went missing March 24 while on night duty at the facility, prompting a search by fellow workers. 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. "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.". I dont know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home. Dierkes' death was the second to occur at the Mapleton foundry in six months. 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. 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Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. "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. The chair rolled out from underneath the employee. 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. 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. Caterpillar Inc. is facing more than $145,000 in fines from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration because an employee fell into a pot of molten iron over the summer. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Miller released the following statement to The Sun: We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. "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," expressed OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. Make your voice heard! The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at Caterpillar's facility in Mapleton in Central Illinois, Peoria County coroner Jamie Harwood said. Tata Steel has been fined 500,000 after a Port Talbot worker was fatally injured after a fall into molten waste. 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. Side-effects may include nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, mood disorders, and death. Investigators say if safety guards were installed, if might have prevented the accident. One of the world's 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. The incident occurred at Caterpillar's foundry in Mapleton, Illinois on June 2, 2022. Steven Dierkes, 39, was taking a sample from the 1,400C crucible when he tripped and fell in, killing him. 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. 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. Worker dies in molten metal tragedy A 52-year-old man has died after falling into a vat of molten zinc. 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.. Place is dangerous AF and doesn't leave much room for stupid even with all the safety regs. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided byRefinitiv Lipper. A disturbing surveillance video allegedly showing a man jumping into a blast furnace and taking his own life has shocked Chinese internet users. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Stay up to date with what you want to know. The worker was "immediately. A Caterpillar spokesperson said in a statement toCBS News: "Our thoughts remain with this employee's family, friends and colleagues. More than six months after his death, the investigation is still underway. Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. Tom Wood. PHOTO | FAMILY ALBUM. Water gushes for days with no one stopping it, Couple had 'no respect' dumping close to a church, ABC13 viewer says, Mom's purse snatched while picking up child from daycare, police say. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". Federal investigators say inadequate safety protections may be to blame for the worker's death. It didnt go away, but the work being done by UAW-represented people did. "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 Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. It was really tough to sit there and hand the guy Kleenexes in my office as he cried, and he talked about, What am I going to do now? 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. 24. As a leek [a term for individual stock investors in China] like him, I sympathize with him, one person said. Dierkes death was the third in 30 years since Ron had started working there. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said that no foul play is suspected, according to the Peoria Journal Star. Peoria County deputies were called to the facility around 10am last week when a man fell into a vat of molten iron at 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit and died on the spot. Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked within four feet of deep ceramic containers of super-heated molten iron, OSHA said in a statement. OSHA said in a news release Wednesday that the death of the 39-year-old employee happened on June 2 at a Caterpillar foundry in central Illinois, which produces cast iron engine components. Market data provided byFactset. 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. Steven Dierkes, worker who died after accidentally falling into vat of molten iron in Illinois on June 2, 2022. Caterpillar workers: Wed like to hear from you. Ron said of Adams death that he was surprised one of the local stations actually had the audacity to point out the death of a contractor only last December in our facility. The Midvale Steel Company manufactured steel parts for the railroad and the armaments industries. THIS IS the horrifying moment a desperate factory worker jumped into a super-heated 900C steel furnace after allegedly losing 6,000 on the stock market. A father-of-three died when he fell into a vat of . Full details have not been released by OSHA for either case. The horrific death of Dierkes follows that of 50-year-old Scott Adams, an electrical contractor, who also fell to his death in the foundry on December 23, 2021. The employee was attempting to retrieve a part from a machine. A 25-year-old electrician had a serious brush with death after falling into a 720 C vat of molten aluminium. He had lost over a million yuan $152,000 in the stock market, officials said. According to his obituary, Dierkes is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. NOW WATCH: Truck drivers block roads in Brazil after far-right president loses reelection bid. In the video, posted to r/WTF on Wednesday, a bald-headed man, hanging out in a metal smelting plant, removes his protective gloves, crouches by a small waterfall of glowing, white-hot metal, and smacks the stream . Steven Dierkes, 39 had started working for Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry in Peoria County only five days previously, when he took a sample of iron for the met lab and 'apparently just tripped' according to an anonymous veteran factory worker, who used the . At 10:00 a.m. on July 25, 2017, an employee was working in the iron foundry of a manufacturer of construction equipment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), part of the Department of Labor, determined that the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards, even though they worked less than four feet from deep ceramic containers of molten iron that were heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. He was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped, a worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). "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've received your submission. -Caleb Fernndez is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. In January 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $10,419 for an incident where a workers finger was severed on the job at the facility. A spokesperson for the foundry Lisa Miller, said: We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2., Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. 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. They didnt fix the job. Steven Dierkes, 39, was working near a crucible . The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. This is the second death of a worker in the last six months at the Caterpillar facility, which has faced increasing safety violations in recent years. This story originally appeared onThe Sunand was reproduced here with permission. A veteran Caterpillar worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, told theWorld Socialist Web Site(WSWS), that Dierkes was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped.. FILE: Construction machines of Caterpillar Inc. (Gen Yuhe/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images). "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". Caterpillars production demands almost invariably lead to accidents due to rushing.. This story has been shared 106,884 times. The crane began moving and struck the employee. "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.". So, I guess that's somewhat comforting. Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, died instantly after he was presumably working alongside a crucible when he fell in, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. The U.S. Department . 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. 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. 0:00. 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. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". Last December, Scott Adams of East Peoria fell to his death. 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.. In 1998, A man named Allen Wardle survived for six hours after falling 20ft into a 450C vat of molten zinc at a factory in Essex. FILE: Construction machines of Caterpillar Inc. (Gen Yuhe/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images), FOX Business Flash top headlines for November 15. Then, wed play video games all night. He is remembered as a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart.. THIS IS the horrifying moment a desperate factory worker jumped into a super-heated 900C steel furnace after allegedly losing 6,000 on the stock market. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. His services were no longer needed. "Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked within four feet of deep ceramic containers of super-heated molten iron," OSHA said in a statement. Half of 39-year-old Steven Dierkes's body was found lying on the floor after he supposedly fell into a crucible containing the molten iron, which was roughly 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the New York Post. Illinois, was worker dies in molten metal tragedy a 52-year-old man has after. Years since ron had started working there twice as hot as lava Wed... Reproduced here with permission Dierkes ' death was the third in 30 years since ron had started working there agency! The second to occur at the facility, prompting a search by fellow workers furnace. Taking his own life has shocked Chinese internet users UAW-represented people did done UAW-represented... 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