Production melting of aluminum alloys and associated hazards

Melt Departments of aluminum foundries and diecast shops are the sites of many accidents that result in personal injury and property loss. The associated high level of risk was confirmed by art industry study, with emphasis on larger manufacturing operations, which reported 454 incidents. Included in this report were 59 serious bums and 23 fatal injuries during the period studied The actual incidence of accidents in larger shops making commercial castings is assumed to be higher, since many smaller shops did not participate in the study cited. Typically, a foundry incident may range from a minor "pop" to major explosions, and are often related either to the introduction of wet materials to the molten metal bath, or to faulty charging procedures. The sources of some of the hazards are described in detail, the need for development of safe practices and recurrent training of personnel working in the area is stressed, design modifications to support equipment are suggested, and the selection of personal protective equipment and necessary motivation of employees to wear it are also described.