On Oct. 24, the Trademark Metals Recycling plant – located at 51 Landstreet Road, Orlando, Fla. – experienced a fire and explosion for the second time in about a month, according to My Fox Orlando.
While a commercial crusher compacted the car, the vehicle exploded causing the crusher to go up in flames. Emergency crews arrived on the scene to find the plant's fire suppression walls and sprinkler system had already helped to extinguish much of the fire, although they deployed their own fire suppression techniques to control the crusher.
No injuries or significant structural damage was reported to officials.
On Sept. 5 firefighters sought to extinguish a fire lasting nearly seven hours at the plant. Fire officials have not yet released the cause of the first fire and have not determined if both incidents are related.
Industrial safety
Trademark was awarded the 2010 United Safety Council Award by the the Florida/United Safety Council on Jan. 11, 2011 – making that the fourth safety achievement within five years for the company, according to their website. Categories for consideration include employee safety training, accident rates and inspection scores. The safety council affirmed their decision by validating Trademark's commitment to safety as demonstrated by a work environment that does not pose undue risks to employees and clients.
Trademark is the most recent in a line of industrial recycling plant fires, including Brentwood, N.J., and Surprise, Ariz., facilities. According to the Institute of Scrap Metal Industry, scrap metal recycling is one of the most dangerous manufacturing plant jobs. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration supports the risks employees are exposed to through the job, citing the number one cause of injury or illness of workers to be poisoning by lead or cadmium.
The Centers for Disease Control states that lead poisoning has the ability to infiltrate and affect all systems of the body and because there are no obvious signs or symptoms, the poisoning often goes unnoticed and worsens throughout the body.
Trauma disorders, skin diseases and repeated inhalation of toxic chemicals and gases resulting in respiratory illnesses are also on the list, stating the most common manner in which these ailments were derived was through contact with machinery, exposure to a toxic or harmful substance and overextension of the body.
Industrial Safety News brought to you by Safety Systems Technology, Inc., leaders in fire and gas detection.
