"6 people had died and 4 others to hospital for treatment."

2023 has been a very bloody year in terms of catastrophic molten metal explosions. Nearly 100+ workers have been injured and nearly 20 workers have been killed when a molten metal explosion occurred at their workplace. That is for the incidents that we know about. Nor do want to know about every incident. Here is a recent tragedy emphasizing the importance of

According to state media CCTV, at 9 pm on Friday (October 20), an explosion occurred in the recycled aluminum melting and casting workshop (aluminium company). As of 1 pm on the 21st, 6 people had died and 4 others were sent to hospital for treatment.

At present, the open fire on site has been extinguished, and some machinery in the factory has collapsed. The surrounding houses have been affected to some extent and have cracked. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

This factory is a private enterprise. After preliminary investigation, the expert team believes that the accident occurred when high-temperature aluminum liquid leaked into the cooling pool during the casting process of the aluminum rod, causing an explosion.

We pray for the deceased workers’ families, friends, and coworkers. We pray for the injured workers that they recover fully from their injuries. When we speak to workers about workplace fatalities. Instead of referring to the deceased worker. We insert the term destroyed family. Why? With all due respect to workers who perish in workplace incidents. The aftermath of these tragedies is a destroyed family. A family that has an unimaginable pain that will never, ever go away. Overtime the pain might lessen. But, every holiday, every birthday, every family event. The missing loved one is felt and noticed. That is why when we talk about safety to workers we commonly talk about those who love them, those who care about them.

So, six families were destroyed in this tragedy. We pray for them and hope that this incident will be used at your workplace to make it safer. To reinforce safety initiatives. To justify new safety tasks/procedures.

What happened? Preliminary report stated that the workplace had an uncontrol release of molten metal into a “cooling pool”. We assume that “cooling pool” was a casting pit. This incident occurs commonly throughout our industry for a variety of reasons. From bleedout at the casting station, to trough failures, to overflowing drain pans, to furnace lining failures. Then why are not more explosions occurring? In the simplest terms these workplaces are not following our industry’s best practices toward molten metal safety.

Our industry’s best practices toward molten metal safety is no a secret. It is widely available, but sadly commonly overlooked. Common characteristics of workplaces who suffer a tragedy like this is a combination of a lack of awareness and education to the hazard. Some workplaces we have visited will even discount or downplay the severity of molten metal. Sadly, they learn the severity of molten metal when a worker is either injured or killed. It has happened so often on our travels that for a period it would eat us up. Could we have given the presentation differently, met with someone else, etc. We just accepted all we can do is provide the information and pray that the workplace will follow our recommendations. Atleast we tried.

What is the industry’s best practices toward safety? It is the Aluminum Association’s “Guidelines for Handling Molten Aluminum”. (can be found here) In addition, workplaces who handle molten aluminium need to participate in the Molten Metal Incident Reporting Program (MMIR) that the Aluminum Association has administered since 1980. 

Now let us explain the Guidelines and the MMIR. The guidelines were first published in 1980. They were developed cooperatively with safety experts working in major aluminium companies at that time. Since then, the guidelines have been updated. Many countries consider the Guidelines when investigating an incident. We are aware that the guidelines have been used by prosecutors during trials against an aluminium company and their managers after an explosion.

Next up the MMIR. Can be found here. It is simply one of the most effective programs in making a workplace safer. It arose from a request within the industry to develop a program where companies could learn from one another on an anonymous basis about molten metal explosions. The MMIR has been a valuable safety tool for companies around the globe. There are currently 300 reporting plants worldwide that submit a detailed report (minus any company identification) when they experience an explosion in their workplace. This is a free program. Reporting companies get access to unusual incidents that other companies would be unaware of. For example, a number of years ago a workplace had an after market laser leveling device on the top of a casting station table (vertical dc cast). An explosion in the pit resulted in the laser leveling device launching into the air. It sadly hit a worker in the head. The succumbed to their injuries days later. In response the Aluminum Association sent out to a flash notice to all reporting companies. Thankfully, another similar incident has not been reported. So, in other words. Report your molten metal incidents. Not only will you make your workplace safer. But, you will make our industry safer too. 

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