In 2023, metalcasting operations recorded 5.3 injuries per 100 workers, nearly double the average rate reported for private manufacturing. Even more sobering, each year about 70 foundry workers die from work-related injuries.
These numbers are alarming, and even more so because many accidents are preventable.
Dynamo Furnaces has been on site and at work in foundry melting operations for decades, installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting melting furnaces. Over the years we’ve learned how safety—or the lack of it—affects both people and productivity.
With proper training, good equipment, and a workplace culture that prioritizes safety, injuries can be reduced, and lives, and dollars can be saved.
Seen in action
Drawing from experience with dozens of foundries, we've identified patterns in which accidents occur most often:
1. Hot surfaces and molten metal – Even momentary lapses can cause severe burns. One of our customers recorded nearly 10 minor burns in a one-year period prior to our installing new furnace shields and establishing better procedures.
2. Fumes and toxic gases – Poor ventilation may make workers dizzy or short of breath. After testing of enhanced exhaust and airflow systems, we saw a 30% reduction in breathing complaints.
3. Electrical and mechanical hazards – High-voltage induction furnaces and heavy cranes are standard. Untested electrical contacts and worn mechanical parts accounted for roughly a quarter of near misses in the plants we have audited.
4. Blows – Thankfully, these are infrequent but when they happen, they are catastrophic. There were 156 molten metal explosion incidents worldwide in 2023. Dynamo Furnaces has implemented automatic monitoring and emergency shutdown systems to prevent employees from being exposed to danger.
How to approach safety
Safety is not a checklist for us; it's something we live every day. Here's what works:
1. PPE that truly protects. Metalcasting workers need good personal protective equipment - gloves, aprons, face shields, helmets, and respirators. One customer's team went from incurring numerous small burns to virtually none after PPE enhancements: a 45% decrease in six months.
2. Clear, realistic procedures. We help foundries develop step-by-step procedures for handling molten metal safely. By systematic training, one facility decreased near-miss events by 60% in one year.
3. Technology as a safety partner. Sensors, automated pouring devices, and emergency shutdowns protect workers. One trial reduced small incidents by 35% when it adopted automated pouring in place of manual handling.
4. Maintenance is not optional. We know firsthand that sloppy maintenance methods lead to workplace accidents. One client avoided a $180,000 workers' compensation claim simply by adhering to our preventive maintenance schedule.
Dollars and sense
Safety is not only the right thing to do; it rewards the people and plants at adopt safe operating practices.
Accidents cost money, and lots of money. Lost productivity, medical bills, equipment damage, legal fees, and insurance premiums all add up. In 2023, American workplace injuries were tallied to have cost $176.5 billion.
But investing in safety pays off. Foundries that used our training and monitoring programs saved hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. And avoiding OSHA penalties can keep your operation from incurring millions of dollars in fines and penalties.
Our takeaways
Safety means more than just compliance. It is a principle that guides foundry managers and operators to emphasize the value of people and productivity. The best metalcasting plants integrate:
- Genuine, functioning PPE
- Hands-on, step-by-step training
- Automation and monitoring that protects workers
- Preventive maintenance practices that identify safety issues before they are consequential.
When we see a successfully run furnace with these in place, injuries decrease, productivity improves, and the plant runs more efficiently. Safety is more than just good ethics—it's good business.
The author extends hia profound gratitude to Jack Iwanski and Nick Miszczyk for their steadfast dedication and invaluable contributions to the preparation of this article.
