Foundries & Molten Metal

Molten metal is far hotter than boiling water, and a small amount of moisture can turn it into an explosion. Foundries melt and cast iron, steel, aluminum and other metals. Burns, explosions, dust and heat are daily risks.

• Foundry Workers
• Metal Casting
• Manufacturing

Main hazards

• Steam explosions: water, ice, damp scrap, wet tools or damp molds that meet molten metal turn to steam in an instant and can throw metal out.
• Splash and spill during pouring, tapping and transport. Molten metal can reach 1,200 to over 2,800 degrees F, depending on the metal.
• Furnace and ladle failures, including runouts, refractory damage and overturned ladles.
• Silica dust from sand molds and cores. See Silica.
• Metal fumes and gases such as carbon monoxide.
• Heat stress and noise. See Heat Illness.
• Crush and hoisting hazards with cranes carrying ladles.

Keep moisture away

• Preheat and dry all scrap, ingots, tools, ladles and molds before they touch molten metal.
• Do not charge sealed containers, pipes or closed shapes that can hold water or air.
• Keep the floor around pouring areas dry, and use pits designed to avoid water.
• Keep coolers, hoses and drains away from furnaces.

Safe handling

• Use written procedures for charging, tapping, transporting and pouring. Never improvise.
• Keep ladles no more than the safe fill level and use ladles with working brakes and locks. Hoists and cranes must be rated for the load plus the molten metal.
• Keep non-essential people out of the pouring area and out of the path of ladles.
• Inspect furnaces, crucibles and refractory linings regularly. Follow lockout when working on equipment. See Lockout/Tagout.
• Plan an escape route that is clear.

Protective equipment

• Face shield and safety glasses, aluminized or flame-resistant clothing that sheds metal, spats or leggings, and leather boots with the pants worn over them. See Flame-Resistant Clothing.
• Hard hat, hearing protection and a respirator when needed.
• No synthetic fabrics that melt, and no loose pockets or cuffs that catch splashes.

Last updated: October 8, 2026