"more than 80% of the building collapsed...3 dead, 2 missing"

Out of all the hazards in the aluminium industry. Molten metal explosions have resulted in the largest financial and human loss than any other. Here is another tragedy that emphasizes the seriousness of this hazard.

According to (news media), around 2 a.m. today (February 18), an explosion occurred at a factory in (location omitted), causing casualties. The on-site search and rescue is still in progress. The roof and walls of the building involved collapsed, with more than 80% of the collapsed area. Rescuers are using excavators to excavate the rubble and search for missing people.

According to reports, on the afternoon of February 18, the (name omitted) Emergency Management Bureau issued a "Situation Report" stating that at 2:11, the casting well area where aluminum rods are produced in the workshop of (aluminium company name omitted) explosion occurs. The incident resulted in at least 3 deaths and 2 missing persons.

The (news media) reported that a staff member of the (local) Emergency Management Bureau said that a total of 18 staff members of the company involved were on duty at the time of the incident. The on-site monitor showed that a large amount of aluminum water leaked into the casting well, causing an explosion when it encountered water. .

 

A staff member of the company involved told reporters that CCTV footage showed that before the explosion, the mold plate of the equipment was stuck, and a staff member used a stylus to pry the mold plate. After the mold plate dropped, an explosion occurred.

First and foremost we pray for the deceased workers and their families. We pray that the injured workers recover fully.

This incident happened because of a false safety belief. A false safety belief is a task or procedure that was deemed “safe”. Not by a risk assessment, or by investigating the industry’s best practices toward safety. But the task or procedure was deemed safe because an incident had not occurred in the past. When an incident occurs, typically involving one or more fatalities. Upon investigation of the incident, it is found that the task/procedure was always unsafe. It was only by luck an incident did not occur before.

This incident could have been prevented if the aluminium company painted their well with Wise Chem. We can make this statement by the countless examples of molten metal releases into wells painted with Wise Chem and no explosion occurred.

We have toured aluminum plants who chose not to use any approved safety pit coating. Their decision is based on a lack of awareness and education to molten metal explosions. But, after being provided with awareness and education they still chose not to use Wise Chem. Then they are gambling with their company’s future and worker’s lives. Eventually, one’s luck runs out. 

Wise Chem can be found here.