Companies Fined $39K in Steel Death
By Danielle Briones
Published on July 23, 2005
According the state, Beta Steel didn't give the Portage Fire Department access so that it could develop rescue plans before the accident.
Beta Steel of Portage was fined $18,000 and Eagle Services Corp of Burns Harbor was fined $21,000, according to the Indiana OSHA. Maffit was employed by Eagle Services.
Maffit, 45, was cleaning furnace byproduction from the mill's collection hopper when he was killed.
Beta steel received four fines rated as "serious", each for $4,500. Beta had not developed procedures and did not appropriately inform employees about potentially hazardous materials, according to state documents.
Eagle Services was issued six serious violations for $3,500 each, including one that alleged that the confined space entry permits were not posted at the entry of the bag house.
In documents, the state said two Eagle Services employees and a Beta Steel millwright tried to rescue the victim, but broke the plane of entry while trying to rescue him.
The state also said Eagle Services did not remove an unauthorized individual from the area when he entered space during operations.
In other documents, the state said that Beta did not develop proper procedures and did not inform exposed employees of potential dangers by posting signs.
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