The foundry at Mapleton produces multiple engine castings using various combinations of metals, which are poured into various molds in different pour zones that produce engine blocks, heads, liners and other manufacturing components. Share your story ideas and important issues with Caleb by emailing caleb.fernandez@kgun9.com or by connecting on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. 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. 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. A foundry worker in Mapleton, Illinois, died in June after falling into a vat of molten iron. More than six months after his death, the investigation is still underway. The UAW has done nothing to stop the increasing safety hazards happening, as the repeat violations and injuries at the facility reveal. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this is that the man survived at . He died instantly, but not all of him went in. 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. IRVING, Texas A Caterpillar Inc. employee is dead after he fell into a pot full of molten iron heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. They proposed a fine of $145,027 for foundry operator Caterpillar. Per federal safety regulations, Caterpillar Inc. was required to install guardrails or some type of restraint to protect their employees. has received a violation and faces $145,027 worth in fines. Kevin Downey. I dont know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home, the worker said. NOW WATCH: Truck drivers block roads in Brazil after far-right president loses reelection bid. He fell onto a concrete floor. 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. In December 2021, 50-year-old Scott M. Adams also took a fatal plunge in the factory. 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. Users of Chinas social media platform Weibo expressed their sadness about Wangs death. We were into professional wrestling, so every Friday night, wed get together with friends and wed try wrestling moves on each other. In the video, posted to r/WTF on Wednesday, a bald-headed man, hanging out in a metal smelting plant, removes his protective gloves, crouches by a small waterfall of glowing, white-hot metal, and smacks the stream . Caterpillar Inc. is facing more than $145,000 in fines from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration because an employee fell into a pot of molten iron over the summer. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The facility ships an average of 150,000 tons of finished product each year.. Full details have not been released by OSHA for either case. {Read More: Horrific death at Caterpillar Mapleton foundry evokes outpouring of shock and anger among workers}. 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. Steven Dierkes, of Peoria, Illinois, was. The Mapleton, Illinois Caterpillar facility has been the site of numerous safety and health violations in the past 30 years since the sellout of Caterpillar workers by the UAW in the 1990s. The employee removed the guards and laid on the rollers then saw the broken chain and pulled out with his hands and counted the links on the damaged chain. This was told to the union official down at that particular place of employment. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Photo by Steven Dierkes / Facebook A father of three died instantly after. Adams is believed to have fallen over 20 feet through a hole in the floor, OSHA said. 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. 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. The horrific death of the employee has raised questions over safety and health violations at the factory among workers and locals. MAPLETON, Ill. (Gray News) A Caterpillar employee was immediately incinerated when he fell into an 11-foot-deep pot of molten iron heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Tom Wood. "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. He is remembered as a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart.. His services were no longer needed. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent investigators to the Mapleton foundry after an employee fell to his death on June 2, the agency said in a news release. 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. The employee dropped the chain in between sprockets and pushed on one end to the east and continued sliding under the sprocket to put the master link. Caterpillar was fined $145,027 by OSHA for for not installing a guardrail or travel restraint at a foundry outside Peoria. The 39-year-old employee was only on his ninth day at the job when he died. This story has been shared 106,884 times. Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. Last December, Scott Adams of East Peoria fell to his death. The dad-of-threes death comes six months after another deadly fall at the Mapleton foundry. "We implore employers to review the agency specific regulations to protect workers from falls into equipment in industrial settings.". Make your voice heard! Skip to content. 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.. Then, wed play video games all night. In January 2019, OSHA fined Caterpillar $10,419 for an incident where a workers finger was severed on the job at the facility. A 50-year-old East Peoria man working at the Caterpillar Inc. Mapleton foundry fell to his death Thursday, according to the Peoria County Sheriff's Office. Federal safety regulations require employers to install guardrails and restraint systems to protect workers from falls into dangerous equipment like Dierkes suffered. It added that he would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.. 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." He climbed up on a chair with wheels to reach the part. According to his obituary, Dierkes is survived by his partner Jessica Sutter and their three daughters. He was transported and admitted to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.. The employee placed his hands, one finger to pick up the chain next to the sprocket and received a finger amputation., Caterpillar was fined $25,868 in November 2017 for a safety violation. All comments will be published anonymously. Investigators say if safety guards were installed, if might have prevented the accident. "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," expressed OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago. He said 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. 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. An Illinois man died instantly after tripping and partially falling into a vat of molten iron. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Caterpillar has 15 business days from the time of OSHAs citation to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director to discuss the matter further or contest the findings and citation in front of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Harwood said the Thursday incident which took place at theCaterpillarMapleton Foundry was accidental and no foul play is suspected, thePeoria Journal Starreports. FILE: Construction machines of Caterpillar Inc. (Gen Yuhe/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images), FOX Business Flash top headlines for November 15. 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. The incident happened on Thursday, June 2, at . 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. The unidentified worker explained: He died instantly, but not all of him went in. This story has been shared 106,884 times. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on . Following Adams incident, Caterpillar released a statement toNBC Chicagosaying an investigation was underway and the company was deeply saddened., The company said: Our thoughts are with the workers family, friends and colleagues., The Mapleton Foundry is described onCaterpillars websiteas one of the largest in the United States., Caterpillar explains: It can melt up to 1,000 tons of iron each day to produce finished castings ranging from 15lb liners to 22,000lb cylinder blocks.. Sam Courtney-Guy Wednesday 8 Jun 2022 10:09 am. The recent history of OSHA violations point to a pattern of unsafe conditions for workers. The company was established in 1867 in the Nicetown area of Germantown, Philadelphia by William Butcher. Steven Dierkes, 39, was left with half his body lying on a factory floor after he . Dierkes was only on the ninth day of his new job when he died. He died instantly, but not all of him went in. 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. Dierkes death was the third in 30 years since Ron had started working there. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. We feel deeply sorry for his death. -Caleb Fernndez is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. We've received your submission. One worker who suffered an injury after falling over a trip hazard was fired by the company. Dierkes was only on the ninth day of his new job when he died. The company is ordered to pay a fine of $145,027. 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. Tata Steel has been fined 500,000 after a Port Talbot worker was fatally injured after a fall into molten waste. Caterpillar workers: Wed like to hear from you. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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