"Two workers suffered nearly 90% burns (and died)"

Every metals industry (e.g., steel, copper, aluminium) shares the hazard of molten metal explosions where water can be covered with molten metal resulting with in water expanding instantaneously propelling the molten metal (an explosion). The larger the mass of molten metal can result in a larger explosion. Here is a recent incident involving what could go horribly wrong if molten metal and water interact.

Leakage of water is likely to have caused the blast in the 20-tonne electric arc furnace at a foundry in Asia during the month of May 2017. The accident claimed two lives and left seven others injured. Water is used as a coolant in electric arc furnaces. In case water, in sufficient quantities, leaks into a hot furnace, a violent steam explosion is triggered. Though sources claimed that this was what caused the accident, the high-power fact finding team is yet to submit its report to the relevant government organization.

"It was an accident that occurred at the (company). This was a modern furnace that was commissioned a year ago. Two workers suffered nearly 90% burns and passed away a day later. Of the remaining seven, three are contractual workers and the remaining four permanent employees. They are recovering," a senior official said.

Accidents such as these are not uncommon in electric arc furnaces across the world, particularly at plants where their capacity is pushed to the limit. According to a source, things like minor leaks in the water "tube panels" are sometimes ignored. According to a section of company employees, basic safety norms were not followed and the furnace may not have been given the mandatory safety recess required. All furnaces are supposed to be rested for some time after a few hours of operations. Employees claimed that safety norms are sometimes ignored at this time of the year while meeting targets. The federal government authority urging the company president to instruct all units to follow safety norms stringently.

The company came into being over 140 years ago. Today, it meets demands of ferrous and non-ferrous material of all ordnance factories in the country. Keeping in mind the demand for metals of high strength coupled with superior toughness, the company underwent modernisation between 2009-10 and 2012-13.

The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog prays and offers our sincere condolences to the dead worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. We pray that the injured workers recover fully from the injuries.

This facility dealt with ferrous and nonferrous metals. Regardless, of the molten metal the fact remains that the prevention of water from entering a furnace is paramount to prevent a horrific accident from this occurring. Regardless of the industry, some of the most horrific catastrophes were caused by molten metal explosions. In the aluminium industry no other hazard has resulted in more companies being shuttered and resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars of loss revenue and damaged or destroyed facilities.

The news articles state that safety standards were not followed so that production could meet its goal. We do not know if that statement is correct. But, we have heard that statement used in general many times when workers were asked why they bypassed safety mechanisms or disregarded training. We heard a CEO of an aluminium company speak to a plant and implore the workers on the importance of their own safety. The CEO stated clearly (and loudly) that it did not matter to him what production goals the plant met if a worker was injured or killed in the process. The CEO was correct. Safety should not be sacrificed to meet production goals. Ever.

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