ArcelorMittal confirms four injured in scaffolding incident
Allegedly, a scaffolding platform collapsed, sending the men plummeting to the ground.
ArcelorMittal has confirmed an incident on Sunday in which four men were injured. Allegedly, a scaffolding platform collapsed, sending the men plummeting to the ground.
Gracious Maswanganyi, Manager of Corporate Social Responsility and Communications, released a statement regarding the incident.
“We did have an incident on Sunday where four people were taken to the hospital as a precaution so that X-rays could be taken to eliminate the possibility of hidden injuries,” she said. “The injuries were not serious in nature, but we at ArcelorMittal regard all injuries in a serious light and act accordingly.”
The statement further explained the measures ArcelorMittal has in place in case of incidents such as this.
“Every incident that occurs is logged and investigated and corrective action taken to prevent further incidents. All injuries are reported internally and classified according to severity. In the event of serious incidents or injuries it is also required that external departments such as the Department of Labour and the Police have to be informed. ArcelorMittal has a Safety System in place to ensure that all events are correctly reported to the relevant departments.”
Ms Maswanganyi emphasised that ArcelorMittal was committed to finishing the reline project, with zero harm.
“We do not want to injure anyone,” she said. “In many cases the injured are transferred to the hospital to ensure that they get the best medical treatment at all times. So it is quite likely that members of the public will see the ArcelorMittal Ambulance going to the hospital and may be concerned as to the reason.”
According to international safety standards, ArcelorMittal has upped the amount of safety procedures, to ensure a safe work environment. Contractors are also mandated to have their own safety representatives on site.
“Our commitment as ArcelorMittal Newcastle Works is to return Blast Furnace 5 back to operation with zero harm – we do not want to injure anyone. The safety of all contractors and employees involved in the reline project remain our top priority,” she concluded.
