Steel Mills

ArcelorMittal Dofasco Fined for Safety Violations

May 30, 2015

ArcelorMittal Dofasco has been fined CAN $130,000 (US $104,379) after pleading guilty to two separate safety violations.

On September 6, 2012, four workers were a changing a tuyere (a pipe/nozzle that blows air into the furnace) and blow pipe assembly on the #3 Blast Furnace. One of the workers fell off a tow motor used to move the tuyere and fractured his leg.

According to Ontario regulations, the worker did not have a safe means of access to perform the work. The company pleaded guilty and was fined $55,000.

On September 10, 2012, a worker was overcome by fumes while servicing a malfunctioning closed-circuit television camera. A cooling fan was turned off causing hydrogen and nitrogen gases to accumulate in the area. Because the worker was not protected by mechanical ventilation it was deemed a violation of the Industrial Establishments Regulation. The company pleaded guilty and was fined $75,000.

A surcharge of 25 percent was added to the fines, for a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime, to bring the total to CAN $162,500 (US $130,474).