Legal Statement. Gordon Hickman, 41, was operating a massive ladle near the rim of the 35-foot pit just before noon when he fell into it, moments before the 2,600-degree steel was poured in, said Battalion Chief John Whitlatch of the Canton Fire Department. An Illinois man died instantly after he allegedly fell into a vat of molten iron in early June. An Illinois foundry worker died following an accidental fall into 1,400-degrees Celsius molten iron crucible, which burned half of his body. So, I guess that's somewhat comforting. Deputies were called to the facility around 10 a.m. on Thursday morning in regards to an occupational accident, Peoria County Sheriffs Office Capt. 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Last Wednesday, OSHA proposed fines of $145,027 against Caterpillar for not installing a guardrail or travel restraint at the foundry, which manufactures cast iron engine components. The throat mucus layer had been completely burned off, and the muscle was cooked or damaged to the depth of about 1 cm, they report. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Steven's family remembered him as a 'teddy bear of a man' who 'adored' his daughters. 2. A father-of-three died when he fell into a vat of molten iron, a coroner has said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He is remembered as a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart.. In a perfunctory and hollow statement, a spokesperson for Caterpillar stated, We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. One of the worlds biggest manufacturers of industrial vehicles and equipment has been cited and penalized for the death of a worker who fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more than 2,000 degrees this summer. No foul play is suspected in the incident, coronerJamie Harwood said, adding that the matter is under investigation by the sheriffs office and occupational safety and health administration, reported Peoria Journal Star. Caterpillar, a Fortune 500 corporation and construction equipment manufacturer, was cited for one willful violation and fined $145,027 by OSHA, according to OSHA's statement announcing the punishment. OSHA said in a news release Wednesday that the death of the 39-year-old employee happened on June 2 at a Caterpillar foundry in central Illinois, which produces cast iron engine components. An Illinois man died instantly after tripping and partially falling into a vat of molten iron. I say that because local media are little more than advertising for Caterpillar.. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider A 39-year-old Caterpillar worker, Steven Dierkes, died instantly last Thursday after falling into a molten iron crucible at the companys Mapleton, Illinois foundry. 24. This is the second death of a worker in the last six months at the Caterpillar facility, which has faced increasing safety violations in recent years. MAPLETON, Ill. Caterpillar Inc. is facing proposed fines of more than $145,000 after a federal investigation concluded that the construction-equipment manufacturer failed to install necessary. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. They just handed off the injuries to another employer. He sustained six broken ribs. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve., Steven Dierkes, 39, is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. The facility was also fined $17,711 for multiple serious infractions such as fall protection systems and falling objects in May 2019. While an OSHA investigation is still under way more than six months after his death, Adams allegedly climbed a ladder and fell some 20 feet through a floor opening that was not properly covered. Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Miller released the following statement to The Sun: We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Mapleton, Illinois, facility on June 2. Repeated violations result in higher fines. A Caterpillar spokesperson told The Associated Press the company "will continue to engage with OSHA to seek an appropriate resolution to its review.". Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Skip to content. Whose leak is it anyway? "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.". Wang Long, 34, went missing from a night shift at the Chinese steel factory where he worked before surveillance footage revealed the disturbing chain of events leading to his death. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this is that the man survived at . Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked within four feet of deep ceramic containers of super-heated molten iron, OSHA said in a statement. Wardle's workmates managed to quickly recover him from the vat, and I do mean quickly. PHOTO | FAMILY ALBUM. "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.". Caterpillar is facing a $145,000 fine for its role in the death of a 39-year-old man who fell into a pot of molten iron at the company's Illinois foundry. This story originally appeared onThe Sunand was reproduced here with permission. "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," said OSHA's regional administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. Sam Courtney-Guy Wednesday 8 Jun 2022 10:09 am. In 1998, A man named Allen Wardle survived for six hours after falling 20ft into a 450C vat of molten zinc at a factory in Essex. NOW WATCH: Truck drivers block roads in Brazil after far-right president loses reelection bid. "Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards as they worked within four feet of deep ceramic containers of super-heated molten iron," OSHA said in a statement. {Read More: The death of Steven Dierkes: A victim of Americas industrial slaughterhouse}, Steven Dierkes lived down the street from me when we were kids, said Jermaine Pigee, who mourned his friends death in a social media post. Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. He and his family are in all of our thoughts and prayers. The death of the worker has gone unacknowledged by the UAW International so far. Steve Dierkes, a 39-year-old employee and melting specialist at a Caterpillar foundry which produces cast iron engine components in Mapleton, Illinois, was immediately incinerated after falling into the huge tub of molten iron that was heated to approximately twice the temperature of volcanic lava on June 2 earlier this year. Federal investigatorssay that inadequate safety protections may have contributed to the worker's death and propose to fine the foundry operator Caterpillar of $145,027. The tragic incident follows the death of 50-year-old Scott Adams, an electrical contractor, who also died after falling in the foundry in 2021. Investigators say if safety guards were installed, if might have prevented the accident. It must have been ghastly for those folks that witnessed it and to wait for the coroner with half of their coworker lying on the floor, the worker told the outlet. A 39-year-old Caterpillar worker, Steven Dierkes, died instantly last Thursday after falling into a molten iron crucible at the company's Mapleton, Illinois foundry. Wang Long . Dierkes was only on the ninth day of his new job when he died. 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