"The molten metal had literally exploded, according to the police...."

 

Inspection of any metal placed into a furnace or molten bath is imperative. Here is a recent incident highlight the importance of inspection prior to placing anything into a molten bath.

 

A 46-year-old worker was busy one morning during the last week in September 2021 in a company in Germany melting aluminum bars in a pan provided for this purpose. "When he put a damp bar into the tub half full of liquid aluminum, it began to splash violently and there were explosions," the police report said. The tub broke, causing the liquid aluminum to leak.

 

The man was hit by aluminum splashes on the right hip and neck. He had to be hospitalized. Fortunately, there was no danger to life. According to the police, the property damage is likely to be in the four-digit range.

We pray that the injured worker recovers fully from their burns. Though the news article is only 105 words there are a myriad of learning that can be done. From the importance of inspecting anything placed in a molten metal bath to ppe. This incident should be used as a learning tool. In so much that it can be printed out and quickly read to a group of workers and asked “what happened ?” Many workers when asked this simple question will be able to tell what happened and how it could have been prevented. This incident will reinforce to the workers the importance of the ppe they wear and the reason why the inspect anything prior to placing into a molten bath.

We assume that the worker was not wearing the proper ppe. Working in close proximity or handling of molten metal the Aluminium Plant Safety Blog recommends primary clothing.

This incident is also a classic example of a false safety belief. A false safety belief is where a task or procedure is deemed safe because no incidents have occurred, not because a safety audit was performed. So, this factory had numerous false safety beliefs, placing aluminium bars into a pan, and the lack or absence of ppe. Both were done and over time because no incidents occurred both procedures (placing bars in molten bath, no ppe clothing) was assumed to be safe. As with all false safety beliefs it is only after an incident occurs and after investigation that the tasks/procedures thought to be safe were actually found to be dangerous. It was only out of luck a previous incident did not occur. False safety beliefs injure and kill workers every year.

How do you know if your workplace has a false safety belief? If you ask a worker on “why do you it like that?” or “why is it done this way?”. If the answer is “that is how we always have done it.” Then be worried because most times those answers show a hidden hazard that has not been acknowledged. It is sadly only when a worker is injured or killed does the hazard come to light.

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