Union concerned about mounting safety incidents at Algoma Steel

Another incident at Algoma Steel has union officials questioning safety protocols at Sault Ste. Marie’s steel plant.

One person was injured in the most recent slag-related explosion, frustrating those representing workers at the company.

“We are in a crisis mode regarding safety at Algoma Steel,” said Mike Da Prat, president of USW Local 2251.

The latest incident startled many in the Sault this week, with a loud bang alerting many in the city’s west end.

Despite requests to learn more about the steel plant’s string of incidents this year, CTV News was only provided this update yesterday evening from the company:

“At approximately 1:45 p.m., an incident occurred at Algoma’s on-site slag reprocessing area where molten slag, a steel-making by-product, came into contact with residual water from today’s heavy rainfall. The resulting reaction caused a fire in a piece of mobile equipment. One worker was treated on-site for injuries.”

But Da Prat said the company isn’t doing enough to prevent these incidents.

“It used to happen in a controlled way, based on the design of where the slag, etc., was being dumped,” he said.

“And the fact that everybody knew enough to look for the water and to make sure that there was no water around. And then if it was raining hard, some extra precautions were taken. The answer is they're not doing that.”

This week’s incident comes after a February event of the same nature that sent five people to hospital. That’s on top of a number of other incidents in the last year.

“We have had four situations in very close order -- four incidents,” Da Prat said.

“How can anybody say that anything … was rectified or that safety procedures were enhanced or anything of that nature? If it had, we wouldn't be having them. But we are.”

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