Nippon, U.S. Steel Vow to Pump Money into Coke Works Where 2 Steelworkers Died  

Safety at Work

Pittsburgh, PA (WorkersCompensation.com) -- At a press conference Tuesday, U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt said Nippon has pledged to pump $2 billion into the Clairton Coke Works to make it more efficient and safer.  

Officials declined to comment on what caused the explosion that killed two steelworkers and injured 10 other workers. But U.S. Steel promised to conduct a thorough investigation with the help of federal, state and local officials.  Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board are also sending a team to investigate the fatal explosion and fires.  

Scott Buckiso, a senior vice president and chief manufacturing officer of U.S. Steels’ North American Flat-Rolled segment, said at the press conference that there were no indications of safety concerns leading up to the explosion.   “It was a normal course of business yesterday,’’ said Buckiso. 

The deadly explosion that happened Monday at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works comes following several different incidents at the plant over the past several years, including a flaring and fire at the Clairton plant that sent two people to the hospital.  

In February 2024, there were process and equipment failures at seven of the facility’s ovens, prompting the health department to get involved. And in September 2009, a maintenance worker was killed in an explosion at the plant.  The following year, in July, another explosion injured 14 employees and six contractors.  

Following the 2010 explosion, OSHA fined the company and a subcontractor $175,000 for safety violations. The company appealed its citations  and  $143,500 in fines, which were later reduced under a settlement agreement, according to OSHA filings.  

A sprinkler pipe failure in 2018 led to a fire at the plant on Christmas Eve, and then there were power outages at the plant in 2010 and 2022, OSHA said.  

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, also at the press conference, said it is dangerous work that they do.  “It shouldn’t  be as dangerous as it was yesterday. We owe them an answer for what happened.  We owe them answers to their questions,’’ Shapiro said.  

The 392-acre facility which has 10 coke oven batteries, employs 1,300  and sprawls along the Monongahela River,  churns out each year roughly 4.3 million tons of coke, the fuel used to fire the blast furnaces that turn iron ore into steel.  

Batteries 19 and 20 are currently closed for repairs, according to U.S. Steel. And batteries 13 and 14, where the blast occurred, will remain closed throughout the ongoing investigation.  

“There is no risk at this point in time,’’ said Burritt, adding the facility would close if any safety concerns arose. The facility is safe.’’ 

Much of the plant, which lies 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, was operational Tuesday.   

.  

Much of the plant, which lies 20 miles south of Pittsburgh in Clairton, was operational by Tuesday. 

The 392-acre facility, which has 10 coke oven batteries and sprawls along the Monongahela River, churns out each year roughly 4.3 million tons of coke, the fuel used to fire the blast furnaces that turn iron ore into steel. 

“There is no risk at this point in time,” Burritt said, adding the facility would close if any safety concerns arose. “The facility is safe, and the facilityalized a $14.9 billion merger with U.S. Steel, will make the plant safer and more *  

Share This Article: