U.S. Steel Corp.'s safety shortcuts lead to fatal explosion
Time and cost concerns blamed in 2 worker deaths and serious burns to another
Like most of us, Leo Bridges and Edward Bryant left for work one day in September 2014, probably thinking about some rest and relaxation when the shift ended. Like many, they figured their managers and employer would ensure they were safe at work. Bridges and Bryant were wrong; they were caught in a fiery explosion in the Flux Building, which OSHA inspectors said occurred because U.S. Steel Corp. put workers at risk, so as not to slow production at its Fairfield facility.
The three men were opening and closing a malfunctioning valve on a furnace at the Fairfield Works when it erupted, and sent Bridges, Bryant and a third co-worker to the hospital. Bridges, 61, and Bryant, 53, died later due to their injuries. The third man was rushed to a burn trauma unit in critical condition. Fairfield Works is comprised of both steelmaking and finishing facilities. The company has headquarters in Pittsburgh and employs more than 40,000 workers.