Worker killed at Mill Steel as OSHA launches workplace fatality investigation

A worker is dead after what Birmingham police describe as an apparent industrial accident Tuesday morning at Mill Steel in north Birmingham. Police were called to the company's facility in the 100 block of Finley Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. Officers arrived to find an adult man unresponsive after what investigators said appeared to be an industrial accident. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed the worker died at the scene. His identity has not been released as authorities work to notify his family. As investigators spent hours processing the scene, family members, friends and coworkers gathered outside the facility, waiting for information and supporting one another. By Tuesday afternoon, investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had arrived at the plant to begin a separate federal investigation into the worker's death. OSHA routinely investigates workplace fatalities to determine what happened, whether federal safety standards were followed and whether any safety violations contributed to the incident. Those investigations often take several months before findings are released. Many questions remain unanswered. ABC 33/40 has asked Mill Steel what type of work was being performed when the accident happened, what equipment was involved, what safety procedures were in place and what support the company is providing to the worker's family and employees. The company has not yet responded. We also asked OSHA what investigators are focusing on, whether the Birmingham facility has a history of workplace safety citations and what the next steps in the investigation will be. The agency has not yet responded to those questions. Birmingham police have not said what caused the accident or released additional details about how the worker was injured. Investigators have only described the incident as an apparent industrial accident. In a statement, Birmingham police asked the community to keep the victim's family, friends and coworkers in their thoughts during this difficult time. ABC 33/40 will continue following the investigation and update this story as authorities release additional information.