Worker ‘was immediately incinerated’ after falling into molten iron, feds say

A 39-year-old employee on their ninth day of work at a Caterpillar foundry in Illinois fell into a melting pot of iron “and was immediately incinerated,” authorities said.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the June 2 fatality and found that the worker’s death could have been prevented, according to a Nov. 9 news release.

The melting specialist was removing an iron sample from a furnace when they fell into the pot of iron heated to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, authorities said. The worker was employed at Caterpillar’s Mapleton foundry.

“A worker’s life could have been spared if Caterpillar had made sure required safety protections were in place, a fact that only adds to this tragedy,” OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan said in the release. “Producing more than 150,000 tons each year, Caterpillar’s foundry is one of the nation’s largest and they should be acutely aware of industry regulations to protect workers using smelters and other dangerous equipment.”

Authorities said Caterpillar did not install the federally required guardrails or restraint systems to protect workers from falling.

“If required safety guards or fall protection had been installed, the 39-year-old employee’s ninth day on the job might not have been their last,” officials said.

In a statement to McClatchy News, a Caterpillar Inc. spokesperson said “we continue to be deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2.”

“Our thoughts remain with this employee’s family, friends and colleagues,” she continued. “The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority at all Caterpillar locations around the world. Regarding the serious safety incident that occurred, we will continue to engage with OSHA to seek an appropriate resolution to its review.”

OSHA cited the company for one willful violation and proposed $145,027 in fines, records show.

Caterpillar has 15 days from when it received notice of the citation to either comply, request a meeting with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings.

Over 800 employees work at the Mapleton foundry to “make the cast iron blocks at the heart of most of the company’s engine platforms,” according to the Caterpillar website. The plant melts up to 1,000 tons of iron each day.

Mapleton is about 75 miles north of Springfield.

This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 12:55 PM with the headline "Worker ‘was immediately incinerated’ after falling into molten iron, feds say."