Three steelworkers hospitalised after explosion in US
02 August 2022
Three employees were rushed to hospital after an explosion occurred at TimkenSteel’s Faircrest Plant in Perry Township, Ohio on July 27. The incident comes just one month after TimkenSteel was placed on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Severe Violator Enforcement Program, a targeted inspection programme that focuses on employers that have wilfully and repeatedly exposed workers to hazards.
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The incident at the steel plant occurred at around 22:30 local time when the Perry Township Fire Department was called to the scene. The department’s chief said that fire crew’s arrived at the site and found a “bad situation” with several part of the plant on fire.
In a statement, OSHA said that it had been made aware of the explosion and had deployed a team of officers to the scene to open an investigation. A TimkenSteel statement said that its employees immediately responded to the explosion and contacted emergency services. The company added that the safety and wellbeing of its employees is a top priority and that it would continue to investigate the cause of the incident.
The explosion happened just one month after TimkenSteel was placed on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. As one of 700 companies on the list, TimkenSteel has been placed on the list which focuses on employers that have violated safety regulations either wilfully or repeatedly.
The TimkenSteel plant has experienced safety incidents before, notably in 2013 when two workers were killed after a crane fell on them, as well as in 2016 when a technician died from nitrogen exposure. The company was also cited in December 2021 in relation to an incident at another plant after it was found to have failed to install guards on machinery or provide necessary hand tools.
TimkenSteel produces carbon steel, alloy, and other materials for automotive, industrial, and energy markets. The company has six plants and warehouses in the US and Mexico. The Faircrest plant is located in Canton, about 60 miles south of Cleveland.