According to The Times of Northwest Indiana, a welder at the U.S. Steel Slab Storage Yard in Gary, Indiana, was killed on the job at a steel mill.
Thirty-year-old Jonathan Arrizola was reportedly killed during an accident at the hot strip mill. According to The Times of Northwest Indiana, the cause of death and manner of death are still under investigation.
In addition to the coroner’s office, U.S. Steel Emergency Management and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating Arrizola’s death.
A few weeks ago, there were protests at the Gary Works mill claiming that U.S. Steel was making the mill less safe due to lay-offs and demotion of maintenance workers. According to the worker’s union, cost-cutting measures and workplace pressures may have played a role in Arrizola’s death.
According to CBS Chicago, Arrizola told his wife that things were getting more dangerous at his workplace. Arrizola had started looking for other work before the accident occurred that took his life.
Arrizola’s wife says he spent 70 to 90 hours every week fixing and welding cranes at the mill.
The following information is provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).