The report stated, At 4:47 am on November 1, 2017, an employee walked down an automated crane aisle to check a crane that he believed had faulted. The company was established in 1867 in the Nicetown area of Germantown, Philadelphia by William Butcher. According to his obituary, Dierkes is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. Market data provided byFactset. 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. "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.". Powered and implemented byFactSet Digital Solutions. 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, called Ron to protect his identity claims the death occurred on one of the large melters in the main foundry melting area.. 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. I dont know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) WMBD/WYZZ is following up on a report of a Liberty Steel worker falling into a vat of acid in Peoria Monday. 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. Water gushes for days with no one stopping it, Couple had 'no respect' dumping close to a church, ABC13 viewer says, Mom's purse snatched while picking up child from daycare, police say. The United Auto Workers (UAW), which oversees a number of Caterpillar workers, said little more: Local 974 lost one of our members this morning in a tragic accident at our Mapleton facility. At 10:00 a.m. on July 25, 2017, an employee was working in the iron foundry of a manufacturer of construction equipment. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, A video by Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry shows iron being melted at 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. A 39-year-old worker on just his ninth day on the job at a Caterpillar-operated foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, died after falling into a vat of molten iron. Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. We were into professional wrestling, so every Friday night, wed get together with friends and wed try wrestling moves on each other. I havent seen the melting area in years, let alone the melt deck itself, so I cannot report what conditions are like. One of them being, if the hooks fall out of the block or gating or whatever just get back and let it all fall. We are proactively appeasing the emotions of his family and carrying out psychological guidance for our workers, the company said in a statement, according to the South China Morning Post. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. By Michael Curzon. Another worker noted in a social media post that Steven hadonly been there for 5 days and he should not have been on the iron floor without sufficient training. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The dad-of-threes death comes six months after another deadly fall at the Mapleton foundry. He just disappeared instantly, a worker who saw the surveillance footage told the Xiaoxiang Morning Post. The fatal accident occurred at a meat processing plant when 41-year-old cleaner Hugo Avalos Chanon fell into a running meat blender while cleaning it. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority., Dierkes reportedly fell just before 10 am, and an anonymous employee told the World Socialist Web Site, that Dierkes was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped.. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. It was really tough to sit there and hand the guy Kleenexes in my office as he cried, and he talked about, What am I going to do now? He was transported and admitted to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.. The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at . The recent history of OSHA violations point to a pattern of unsafe conditions for workers. We won't get into all the gory details . OSHA cited Caterpillar Inc. for one willful violation. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. Dierkes' death was the second to occur at the Mapleton foundry in six months. A representative from the Bartonville Police Department said . Dierkes was only on the ninth day of his new job when he died. His co-workers said he had been trading stocks and futures for a long time. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. He allegedly fell 20 feet while climbing a ladder. One of the world's 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. RIP, buddy., Ron, a veteran Caterpillar worker whose name has been changed to protect him from retaliation, told the World Socialist Web Site, He was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped. The death occurred on one of the large melters in the main foundry melting area, Ron said. China Steel Factory Suicide THIS IS the horrifying moment a desperate factory worker jumped into a super-heated 900C steel furnace after allegedly losing 6,000 on the stock market. In April 2020, a 47-year-old man also committed suicide in China for similar reasons by jumping from a high-rise building in a hospital in the city of Putian, the news outlet reported. An Illinois man died instantly after tripping and partially falling into a vat of molten iron. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. {Read More: Horrific death at Caterpillar Mapleton foundry evokes outpouring of shock and anger among workers}. The employee was. -Caleb Fernndez is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. Another Caterpillar worker moved his wife and eight children from Oklahoma to find work at the Mapleton facility. A HERO blast furnace worker who rescued colleagues in the 2001 explosion at the Port Talbot steelworks died from burns after falling into a molten slag channel at the plant five . They were told that its because you guys are getting hurt and our work comp costs are going up. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry died due to an occupational accident last Thursday, Peoria County Sheriffs Office Captain Chris Watkins said. Another wrote: Life is precious. Steven Dierkes was working at the Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry in Illinois, US, when the accident occurred. 0:57. "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. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) _ Three workers plunged from a platform into a pit full of molten steel and died and five other employees were injured in the accident at the Johnstown Corp. steel plant. 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. I was working with a guy shaking out 3600 diesel blocks with a 50 ton bridge crane once and gave him a run down of what not to do. California resident turns tables on thief, taking his gun 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Family raises 250-pound 'dog' for 2 years then realizes it's a bear, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Teen Mom alum Ryan Edwards arrested after stalking wife Mackenzie, Kim Kardashian models thong bikini, belly chain in sexy new pics, Kyle Richards gives an update on her friendship with RHOBH alum Lisa Rinna, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle confirm they were asked to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage. Caterpillar workers: Wed like to hear from you. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Upon his death in 1871, the Butcher Steel Works was taken over by the principal stockholders. They didnt fix the job. He was melted in half. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational. The horrific death of Dierkes follows that of 50-year-old Scott Adams, an electrical contractor, who also fell to his death in the foundry on December 23, 2021. "Caterpillar's failure to meet its legal responsibilities to ensure the safety and health of workers leaves this worker's family, friends and co-workers to grieve needlessly," shared OSHA Area Director Christine Zortman in Peoria. That job was sent out to a contractor and they continued to do that very same job in that very same spot on the floor, with the very same equipment that our people did., Caterpillar outsourced work in order to reduce workers compensation payments, Mitchell alleged. The UAW has done nothing to stop the increasing safety hazards happening, as the repeat violations and injuries at the facility reveal. Dierkes is remembered as a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart, who would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. TESLA'S TEXAS GIGAFACTORY FACES MORE COMPLAINTS OF ALLEGED LABOR VIOLATIONS, "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 in Chicago said in a statement. Steven Dierkes, the 39-year-old employee of a Mapleton foundry, fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and was "immediately incinerated." Caterpillar, a Fortune 500 corporation and construction equipment manufacturer, was cited for one willful violation and fined $145,027 by OSHA, according to OSHAs statement announcing the punishment. She broke her arm, he said, she damaged her knee, and she lost her job. And he added of the UAWs inability to protect the worker, because I got the complaint late, she lost her house and she ended up living in her car.. Deputies were called to the facility around 10 a.m. on Thursday morning in regards to an occupational accident, Peoria County Sheriffs Office Capt. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on a factory floor after he . Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails or covers to protect workers from falling into dangerous equipment. An Illinois foundry worker died following an accidental fall into 1,400-degrees Celsius molten iron crucible, which burned half of his body. More than 800 people are employed at the Caterpillar foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, and the foundry manufactures engine components used for construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives, according to OSHA. Thursday, November 10, 2022 MAPLETON, IL On June 2, 2022, a 39-year-old employee of a Mapleton foundry fell and was immediately incinerated in an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to. He lost more than one million yuan (equivalent to 152,000 US dollars) on the stock exchange, the police said in a statement. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lean Jinghui | April 06, 2021, 05:47 PM . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Scott M. Adams' identity was . 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. A 25-year-old electrician has had a miracle escape after falling into a furnace filled with liquid aluminium at 720C/1,328F.Incredibly, despite the searing p. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. 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. "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.". In December 2021, 50-year-old Scott M. Adams also took a fatal plunge in the factory. They proposed a fine of $145,027 for foundry operator Caterpillar. In November 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $4,337 for a serious health and safety violation at the Mapleton facility. Steven Dierkes, 39, from Peoria, who was working alongside a crucible at iron-melting factory. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. 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.. Caterpillars production demands almost invariably lead to accidents due to rushing.. Police said they believe he took his life because he had a high level of loan debt after reportedly losing over 60,000 yuan about $9,130 in the stock market. Kevin Downey. A worker at a Caterpillar foundry died instantly after he fell into a crucible at the Illinois worksite, officials say, according to media reports. Full details have not been released by OSHA for either case. Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. This story has been shared 106,884 times. 24. Company fined after man dies from fall into pot of molten iron twice as hot as lava. After earning his bachelor's degree from Penn State in Advertising/Public Relations, Caleb went to New York where he learned production assistance, photography and art direction. PEOPLE. An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as the sheriff and coroners offices is presently underway. The renamed Midvale Steel Works became best known for its its early experimentation with alloy . He sustained six broken ribs. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Putins former spin doctor-turned-critic dead, Billionaire who killed self mourned by Clintons, Dr. Oz at NYC funeral, Family of nuclear physicist who died by suicide in jail cell sues US Government, Pentagon panel says military bases should stop selling guns to troops under 25 to prevent suicides. 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. Despite suffering 100% burns, he would die later that day in the hospital. In April 2020, a 47-year-old man committed suicide by jumping from a tall building in Putian City, Fujian Province. 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Jan. 18, 1982 Man jumps into molten steel; officials rule suicide PITTSBURGH -- Company officials say a worker committed suicide by jumping into a ladle of molten steel but his family. David Clark News Reporter. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. St Gallen police The incident took place at a factory in St Gallen in Switzerland. The reason it was outsourced is because of high injury numbers and workers comp experience, he said. A spokesperson for the foundry Lisa Miller, said: 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., Our thoughts are with this employees family, friends and colleagues. Ron said of Adams death that he was surprised one of the local stations actually had the audacity to point out the death of a contractor only last December in our facility. I received a text from my boss early evening last night that we were not to return to work until Monday. Side-effects may include nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, mood disorders, and death. Then, wed play video games all night. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. They dropped a 10-ton hook and block from an overhead gantry crane on a man during the strike, he said of the first fatality decades ago. Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. The electrician fell tumbled into a furnace filled with the melted metal while at work in St. "Caterpillar's failure to meet its legal responsibilities to ensure the safety and health of workers leaves this worker's family, friends and co-workers to grieve needlessly," said OSHA Area Director Christine Zortman in Peoria, Illinois. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Caitlyn Jenners mom Esther slams Kardashians show as senseless, Major update in case of Purple Heart recipient, 45, who faked his death at sea, Dad who slit daughters throat after raping & sexually torturing her, Girl, 17, gang-raped in car by five men who offered her a ride after a party. A 39-year-old worker died after falling into a molten iron vat of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit molten - leaving half of his body lying on the floor. The UAW betrayed two strikes by Caterpillar workers, in 1991-1992 and in a protracted 17-month-long strike in 1994-1995, which ended with the imposition of the hated two-tier system and a 30 percent cut in wages for new hires by 1998. & # x27 ; t get into all the gory details OSHA as! Regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falling into vat!, Dierkes is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters i received a text from my early... 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The ninth day of his new job when he died instantly, but not of. Man died instantly after tripping and partially falling into dangerous equipment like Dierkes.! Body remained on the go night, wed get together with friends and colleagues have not been by.