Steel Mills
Fatality at US Steel Gary Works
Written by Sandy Williams
October 2, 2016
A welder at US Steel Gary Works died on Friday while working in the U.S. Steel Slab Storage Yard. Details about the fatality are still unclear and the incident is under investigation.
US Steel issued the following statement:
“On the evening of Friday, September 30, there was an incident at U. S. Steel’s Gary Works hot strip mill that resulted in a fatality. An investigation is underway, and we will work closely with the United Steelworkers and relevant government agencies throughout the process. No further details regarding the incident are available at this time. Our deepest sympathies are with the employee’s family.”
Rodney Lewis, Sr., president of USW Local 1014 said on Facebook Jonathan Arrizola, 30, was a part of a four man crew assigned to troubleshoot a crane.
The fatality comes in the wake of recent protests by union workers about safety at the mill. Recent layoffs and demotions of maintenance workers have put workers at risk by delaying preventative maintenance, said the USW.
“Moving people all around a mill like chess pieces only promises to result in something tragic,” said Lewis. “Shutting down training when you need it the most is just bad business when you consider that we are “the company’s most important asset”. Working with bare bones crews ain’t cutting it. Bad news is not an if, but a WHEN. As terrible as it sounds haven’t we been saying that something was coming??”
Arrizola’s wife told CBS 2 that her husband had recently been looking for other work because “it started getting dangerous” at the mill. Whitney Arrizola said her husband had been working between 70 to 90 hours a week, fixing and welding overhead cranes at US Steel Gary Works.
Arrizola, a Navy veteran and father of two, worked for the US steel for four years.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
August US mill shipments slip but still higher than last year
The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a decline in the monthly shipments of US mills from July to August.
TransPod, Algoma, Supreme Steel linkup anchors Canadian steel in high-speed transit build
The three Canadian companies have announced a strategic partnership to support the development of an ultra-high-speed transit line from Edmonton to Calgary.
Metallus, USW agree to tentative four-year labor deal
Metallus and the United Steelworkers (USW) have agreed to a tentative four-year labor contract.
ArcelorMittal Dofasco resumes cokemaking after emergency maintenance
The Canadian steelmaker reported on Sept. 30 that “urgent maintenance” was needed in its coke plant off-gas systems. The work required coke oven gas from the No. 2 coke plant to be flared for most of that week.
AISI: Raw steel production ticks back down
US raw steel output declined last week after increasing the week prior, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Output has see-sawed from week to week since mid-August. Still, it has remained historically strong over the past four months and has held near multi-year highs since June. Domestic mills […]