Alex W. Lowery

Review of Recent Catastrophic Molten Metal Explosions and Their Causes

Since 2000, one or more casthouses in our industry have been destroyed by a catastrophic molten metal explosion. This project will review a number of these catastrophic casthouse explosions. We are providing root cause analysis where previously there were none publicly. Companies who fail to share the root causes of catastrophic explosions unknowingly place other companies and our entire industry at risk of experiencing the same fate.

Preventing Molten Metal Explosions in Smelters

This paper focus on molten metal safety in smelters. I review both molten aluminium and molten iron safety.

Maintenance Department: the Deadliest...Why?

Companies fail to acknowledge that maintenance is the most dangerous department in its workplace. This issue results in maintenance personnel being injured and killed. The gap in knowledge is very bad because maintenance personnel are injured and killed. This paper will address the common issues that result in a maintenance worker(s) being injured or killed. I will specifically review common incidents and how they can be prevented.

S.T.O.P. Molten Explosions From Occurring

No other hazard in our industry has the potential of shuttering a workplace as a molten metal explosion. There are four hazards that many workplaces fail to address that commonly lead to explosions. I will specifically cover the four hazards that cause countless explosions and how to prevent them.

Preventing Molten Metal Explosions

Many aluminum companies are oblivious to hazards associated with molten metals. This paper considers the common root causes of incidents that occur when handling molten aluminium. Through analysis of past incidents. The industry’s best practices toward safety will be detailed. Providing the reader with a template to inspect their workplace for hidden hazards that can injure and kill their workers.

Designing a Safe Casthouse

This paper focused of the mistakes architects/designers of casthouses make resulting in injuries and fatalities.

An Examination in Proper Clothing When Handling Molten Metal Through Computational Fluid Dynamic...

This project sheds new light on heat exposure in foundries by closely examining the relationship of radiant heat exposure and different clothing fabrics through computer modeling.

Preventing Molten Metal Injuries and Fatalities; An Examination in Proper Clothing When Handling...

My paper explains why molten metal explosions occur with special attention to worker’s clothing. Specifically, in my project, I will be reviewing the basics of molten aluminium explosions and proper personal protection equipment.

The Great Debate - High Versus Low Water Direct Chill Casting Pits - Which is Safer?

Some in our industry believe high water vertical direct chill casting pits are less likely to have a molten metal explosion than a low water vertical direct chill casting pit. This lack of knowledge is very bad and leads to an increase danger to workers in our industry.

Can Our Industry Prevent Molten Metal Explosions?

Without using history to guide us in the future our industry will continue to suffer needless explosions resulting in countless injuries and fatalities. This paper will review 2017 Molten Metal Incident Reporting Program (MMIR) in regards to the extrusion industry.

Past, Present and Future Safety Hazards in the Extrusion Industry

This paper will review some notable papers and highlight findings that our industry needs to reincorporate into our industries best safety practices.

The Prevention and Mitigation of Molten Metal Explosions in the Foundry Industry

Molten metal explosions in the foundry industry are common. Out of all metals used in the foundry industry, molten aluminium explosions are the most severe.

Minimizing Production Shutdowns Through Effective Application & Maintenance of Safety Pit Coatings

This paper describes the maintenance procedures needed for safety pit coatings to prevent unplanned production stoppages.

Organic Coatings To Prevent Molten Metal Explosions

This paper explores the history of research into molten metal explosions.

Can The Aluminium Industry Learn From Another Industry's Catastrophe?

The desire of the authors is to hopefully illustrate that the root causes that may have lead to the Deepwater Horizon explosion may be present in the aluminium industry today.

Truths and Falsehoods of Molten Metal Explosions In The Aluminium Industry

Hiis paper will review Hess & Brondyke's findings as well as other studies with a special attention to the various specific substrates that upon contact with molten metal generate an explosion. I argue that Hess & Brondyke's research is still valid today and if followed will result in a decrease in the number of molten metal explosions occurring in our industry.

Keeping Workers Cool During Summer Heat

Heat is a well-known and recognized occupational hazard for outdoor and indoor workers that can cause serious or fatal illness when they are not provided the necessary protections and training.

Preventing Injuries Caused by Pry Bars

A hidden hazard present in every aluminum workplace is the use of pry bars. Numerous incidents have been reported regarding injuries or deaths that have occurred to workers while using a pry bar.

The Importance of Molten Metal Safety Reporting

The Molten Metal Incident Reporting Program is one of the most important tools for companies who process molten metal. This program is a valuable resource for making a workplace safer.

Developing Hazardous Energy Isolation Programs

The unexpected startup or release of hazardous energy during maintenance and servicing of equipment and machinery annually injures and kills workers in the aluminium industry.

Training Maintenance Personnel to Ensure Worker Safety

Maintenance workers are exposed to more hazards daily than any other employee in our workplaces. In addition to the fixed hazards, (e.g., stationary machinery) their tasks may involve traveling from area to area in their workplace exposing them to more moveable equipment than anyone else.

Properly Training Supervisors to Ensure Plant Safety

Today’s workforce is a mix of seasoned and newly hired employees. The techniques for managing those diverse groups of individuals can be daunting without the proper training. When companies fail to train their new supervisors they unknowingly allow incidents to occur that otherwise would be prevented with a fully trained and educated supervisor.

Preventing Hearing Loss in Aluminum Workplaces

The majority of hazards workers are exposed to can have an immediate effect on their health. If a worker fails to follow their training or skips steps when working with any number of hazards, the immediate result could be an injury to themselves or a coworker. There are some hazards, such as, workplace noise, where it may take months or even years for the injury to become known.

Addressing the Risk of Workplace Violence

Many companies are hesitant to discuss the risk of workplace violence with their workers in private, let alone address it publicly. This is because many companies believe they are immune to the issue, or they fear their workplace environment may contribute to the problem.

Providing Outreach to First Responders

Educating local fire departments to hazards in our workplaces should be embraced and not looked as an onerous task.

Preventing Hand Injuries In Aluminum Manufacturing Operations

Hand injuries are one of the most common incidents.

The Importance of General Housekeeping

General housekeeping and maintenance activities affect everyone in a workplace. Keeping a facility clean and organized not only helps improve productivity, but also employee morale.

Proper Handling & Management of Aluminum Fines

The accumulation of aluminium fines in our workplaces is commonplace throughout our industry. Polishing, cutting, grinding, sawing, casting, shredding, melting, sanding, and conveyance are among the activities that can generate aluminium fines. For decades, aluminum fines were simply considered just a nuisance and housekeeping issue to be swept up and placed in a dumpster. Fines became a safety concern only when workers slipped fell on them accumulating on the work floor.

Understanding Fire Extinguisher Usuage for Proper Fire Management

Fire extinguishers are a necessary tool for controlling fire within aluminum workplaces. The installation and maintenance of fire extinguishers within a facility typically guided by local government ordinances. However, just having fire extinguishers is not enough to ensure safety.

Preventing Amputations in Aluminum Manufacturing

Amputations are one of the most serious and deliberating workplace injuries in the aluminium industry.

How to Prepare for Emergency Response

Nobody expects a workplace emergency that would require immediate evacuation of all plant personnel, visitors, and contractors. Yet, we know workplace emergencies and disasters can occur anywhere with little notice.

Addressing Employee Mental Health During the Pandemic

Companies fail to address this topic (mental health) with their workers, fearing their workplace environment contributed negatively or was the reason for a worker’s mental well being.

Preventing The Big Three: Slips, Trips & Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common causes for work-related injuries and fatalities. These three hazards are

Preventing COVID-19 Outbreaks Goes Beyond the Workplace

Most COVID guidelines fail to discuss how transportation to and from the job and what workers do with their free time away from their job affects transmission of the virus. Failure to address these two points can result in the introduction of the virus into the workplace.

Promoting Safety Culture Through Toolbox Talks

Toolbox talks started in the construction industry decades ago as a way to discuss any of the previous day’s safety incidents. They have evolved into a valuable tool where specific hazards or tasks are discussed at the beginning of each workday.

How to prevent transmission of Covid-19 in workplaces?

Companies need to consider three key points in preventing transmission of Covid-19 in their workplaces: prevent introduction of the virus, good housekeeping, and installation of safe distance measures.

Worker Safety in the Wake of COVID-19

Businesses and employers have an important role in the prevention and the slowing down of the spread of COVID-19.

Identifying Risk for Injury with Older Equipment

Older machinery and equipment in our plants are a hidden hazard that regularly kills and injures workers. This danger can be concealed for years and only become known when an incident occurs.

Whatever the Weather

Our industry is not immune to its extreme weather events. Each plant has to be prepared for natural disasters unique to its own location. Companies without plans and preparation endanger their workers and nearby communities.

How the Market Price of Aluminum Affects Safety

The cyclical nature of the aluminum market also means that companies have had to tighten their belts multiple times, which may have consequences that go unseen for years. This can be considered through the

Addressing the Safety of Mobile Equipment

Mobile equipment—forklifts, trucks, tractors, and specialty equipment—is necessary throughout aluminum operations. Mobile equipment is a hazard that can move from location to location, requiring safety parameters that extend throughout the facility.

Preventing Molten Metal Explosions

Molten metal explosions make the media spotlight shine the brightest on our industry than any other topic. Many in our industry fear this unwanted attention will be more focused after a series of incidents that made the news in 2017-2018. In a span of 10 months four casthouses suffered molten metal explosions

Furnace Safety

Furnace incidents in our industry typically involve one of the following; molten metal, combustion, relining, and maintenance.

The Hidden Danger of Oil-Based Hydraulic Fluids

A 2018 incident in California in the USA educated one aluminium company on how dangerous their practice of using flammable hydraulic fluids in machinery was. This column covers this hazard.

It Is As Well To Remember Your Final Destination

No aluminium worker should lose their life or be injured because the subject of death was deemed too uncomfortable to talk about.

Guarding Checklists Should Not Be Ignored - Part 2

This is the conclusion of a two-part series on the importance of utilising machine guarding checklists in preventing future incidents. In part one (Aluminium Times, September 2018) I wrote ‘How can we as an industry reduce the number of injuries and fatalities that are occurring needlessly on annual basis?’

Guarding Checklists should not be ignored - Part 1

Recent incidents have shown machinery guarding hazards are present in every facility in our industry regardless of age. The best way to identify and correct any potential hazards is by completing a machine guarding checklist for each piece of machinery.

Electrical Power Systems Can Strike Anytime

Electrical arc flash, or flashover, is one of the most deadly and least understood hazards of electricity, and it is a prevalent hazard in our industry.

Improve Industry Safety

Chinese aluminium plants recently have suffered several catastrophic explosions. The vast majority of these explosions could easily have been prevented if the aluminium companies had followed industry best practices toward safety.

Addressing Violence At The Workplace

Workplace violence is the hazard with the potential to be in every work environment.

Moving Forward With A View To The Past

I was asked to write the introduction to the inaugural Safety Guide Edition. I am very proud of this publication, because of the potential it holds to inform and educate our industry on the best practices toward safety.

Molten Metal Bad on Water

You do not think of the importance of Wise Chem coatings (E-212-F and E-115) until after a molten metal spill and no explosion occurs.

Proper Hard Hats May Save Lives

The lack of uniform head protection enforcement in our industry adds to the danger if an incident occurs.

Get Clear On Operating Lease Equipment

The trend of leasing moveable equipment will continue to grow, and how our plants address the associated training issue may have life and death consequences.

Heighten your crane awareness

The hazards associated with moveable equipment in our industry are well known. These hazards are most commonly associated with wheeled vehicles on the ground. Lesser known but just as dangerous are the cranes that move overhead.

What the price ability to defeat any fire?

The column talks about the problems that can arise if a plant has the minimal amount (to satisfy government regulations) of fire extinguishers.

Summer dehyddration prevention programmes do work!

If your plant is not in the midst of planning and preparing for its summer heat illness prevention program during the winter and spring, you are placing your workers at a disadvantage.

Listen if you have any sense

The majority of hazards workers are exposed to on a daily basis can have an immediate effect on their wellbeing. If a worker fails to follow their training or skips steps when working with hazards involving safe isolation, confined space, moveable equipment, etc. the immediate result could be an injury to themselves or a coworker. There are some hazards in our industry where the result may take months or even years for the injury to become known.

Beware Crucible Truck Accident Risks

The severity of accidents related to transportation of molten metal in our plants and over the road has increased at an alarming rate.

Check out updated AA handling guidelines

First published in 1980, the Guidelines for Handling Molten Metal has been a constant in an ever changing industry. Commonly referred to as our industry's best practice toward safety. The long awaited 4th edition has been revised and grown 28% in content.

Why Everyone Needs Safety Training

The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog's intention is not to place blame on either company nor worker(s), but the hope that awareness of these accidents brings education and prevention of recurrence.

Entering a site with forklifs?

Achieving safe forklift operations require both adherence to procedures and awareness of risks not only for drivers, but for all those present around the plant premises.

Reducing the risk of an explosion of molten aluminum foundries

Reduce the risk of explosion

減小爆炸帶來的危險

Your life is in the mirror

Sometimes workers are faced with decisions that impact their safety. Too many workers fail to realize the importance that their lives have upon others. All they have to do is look in the mirror and the tough decisions are made for them.

Permit competence and not negligence in confined spaces

Some in our industry fail to properly classify what is or is not a confined space and subsequently a permit space, which places their worker(s), or the lives of contractors in jeopardy. I

The Importance of Attending Aluminum Association Casthouse Safety Workshops

The importance of the Aluminium Association's Regional Casthouse Safety Workshops is more evident than any other time in our industry's history.

Be aware of false safety beliefs

Older machinery and equipment in plants are hidden hazards that regularly kill and injure workers.

We can learn from past incidents

It is easy for companies to forget about past incidents, especially if the incidents have not repeated recently or if there is a change in management or ownership. This false sense of security is a trap we need to be wary of, because the original hazard still exists in our plants, and it has not been eliminated

Truths & Falsehoods on Molten Metal Explosions

Hess & Brondyke's studies of molten metal explosions proved molten aluminium could explode upon contact with moisture and various substrates. Over forty years later, their findings have been mostly forgotten. This paper will review their studies.

Near miss? Report it!

It is only after an incident that companies realise that a prior near miss had never been reported. Time and time again companies realise too late that near miss reporting and investigations can prevent future incidents from occurring by providing valuable information about hazards.

Maintenance Pit Beneath Furnaces Should Be a Safety Focus

Hazards associated with molten metal are well known throughout the aluminium industry.

Kunshan tragedy must affect us all

accident. On 2 August 2014, an accident occurred in China that shocked our industry and renewed the spotlight on the hazard of aluminium dust fines.

Get to know your local emergency team

Does your emergency management plan include instructions regarding local emergency management personnel onsite responding to incidents that vary according to the hazard being dealt with?

Is social media friend or foe?

Social media's explosion has tremendously affected today’s culture. Facebook is part of most people’s web lives, many people read Twitter for breaking news and turn to YouTube to be entertained. The future of social media for the aluminium industry is limitless.

Share the experiences of incidents

Sharing the experiences of incidents assists others in understanding emergencies.

Coatings Work Should Never Be Forgotten

Molten metal water explosions have historically had the greatest negative impact to the Aluminium Industry. Prevention may be achieved if an approved protective coating is applied correctly to all key surfaces.

Four ways improve contractor safety

Over the past year, several contractor employees were injured or killed while working in aluminium plants. The use of contractors used to be a rare occurrence in our industry. The presence of contractor employees in our facilities has grown exponentially during the past 15 years.

Controlling Hazardous Energy Saves Injuries & Lives

The unexpected startup or release of hazardous energy during maintenance and servicing of equipment and machinery has injured and killed numerous workers in the aluminium industry.

Safety can never be compromised

2012 was a year of extremes in terms of safety throughout the aluminium industry. Two firms in particular, Novelis and Alcoa, stood out as shining examples of what every company in our industry should strive to be like.

Good surface preparation can save lives – and money

Approximately 85% of all premature coating failures are a result of poor surface preparation, inadequate mixing, thinning, poor coating application, and/or insufficient curing.

Pay Attention to Housekeeping and Maintance

General housekeeping and maintenance activities affect all plant workers. When performed effectively, they help eliminate some workplace hazards. On the other hand, poor housekeeping frequently masks hazards contributing to accidents.

Aluminium dust can be hazardous

Considering the age of our industry, combustible dust has only been identified as a hazard for a short period of time, basically the past 25 years. Aluminium fines were considered a nuisance byproduct before being labelled as a hazard. Aluminium fines were allowed to accumulate throughout aluminium plants.

Aluminium industry can learn from Deepwater oil rig disaster

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 resulted in the deaths of 11 workers. Aluminium plants, just as deepwater oil rigs, value training and safety measures to prevent accidents from occurring. Could the safety measures employed in a casthouse to prevent a molten metal steam explosion also fail?

Safety Be safe in the aluminium works

Safety is in the forefront of the aluminium industry today. This has not always been the case. The mindset changed just over 60 years ago, when the first reported molten metal explosion from a bleedout during direct chill casting in a cast house was reported.

Making Safety A Priority

This is the fifth interview of a CEO in the aluminium industry. I interviewed Abdulla Jassem bin Kalban, CEO of EGA and Salman Abdulla safety manager at EGA.

Making Safety A Priorty

Interview with Egil Hogna, Executive Vice President of Extruded Solutions Division, Norsk Hydro

Interview with Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C.'s Tim Murray

This is the second in a series of CEO interviews focus on safety related topics to explore the impact CEO's have promoting safety within and outside their own organizations.

Interview with Norsk Hydro ASA's Svein Richard Brandtzaeg

This is the third in a series of CEO interviews focus on safety related topics to explore the impact CEO's have promoting safety within and outside their own organizations.

Interview with Sapa Group's Svein Tore Holsether

This is the first in a series of CEO interviews focus on safety related topics to explore the impact CEO's have promoting safety within and outside their own organizations.

New Albany Adult Soccer League

Kickin’ It: New Albany soccer league awards scholarships to high school seniors

I help organize a non-profit adult soccer league who focus is raising college scholarships. I contacted Healthy New Albany Magazine and convinced them to write an article about the league. I was interviewed by the writer, Sarah Robinson. To assist Sarah I provided here with 6-8 quotes from players. I also provided all of the photos. Sarah did a great job writing the artilce.