The sources of our
scrap vary around the globe. When the scrap arrives at our facilities an
inspection should be performed before accepting the material. The inspector is
looking for items that would contaminate the scrap including but not limited
to: butane lighters, aerosol cans, air bag canisters, live ammunition,
hypodermic needles, flammable liquids or other safety related items. Here is a
recent story:
Some businesses
along Highway 421, in New Hanover County, North Carolina in the USA were
evacuated Wednesday, May 18, 2016 after a military ordnance was found at
Omnisource, a metal recycling plant.
According to 911
calls, a man told dispatchers he found what looked like a military explosive
among the scrap metal, he later described it as being 3 feet long and 8 inches
in diameter.
Emergency crews
responded to the scene, including the bomb squad and a federal agency.
A lieutenant with
the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office said the area was secured in order to
determine if the item was dangerous.
"In the
abundance of safety we always take that seriously," the lieutenant
explained. "We cornered off this area, we blocked off, we didn't shut off
any area, but we evacuated some businesses until we could get personnel here to
identify it. Luckily it was identified and it was shown that it didn't have any
explosive components."
It was later
determined that the item was a casing of a mortar round and not explosive.
The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog congratulates Omnisource and the worker
who found a suspicious military item and followed his training and immediately
notified the proper authorities. The APSB has posted incidents where live
military ordinance was either ignored or hidden in scrap loads resulting in
explosions. Not this time because the worker first
acknowledge the hazard, stop the process (of sorting) and immediately contacted
authorities. We are so very proud of that individual’s actions.
The Aluminium Association (USA) has a great document about scrap receiving
and inspection. It can be obtained here.
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