Recycling iron and steel

• Author: International Labour Organization
• Pages: 65-65

MEISI05-R-2005-02-0159-1-En.doc

65

14. Recycling iron and steel

14.1. Iron and steel are recycled from factory offcuts, from salvaged materials and

from foundry slag, ashes and dross. The range of processes used to reclaim metals from

scrap depends on the donor source and the desired product. Recycling iron and steel

involves different processes and presents different OSH hazards and risks. The following

special provisions apply.

14.2. Workers should be informed about the hazards of handling metal scrap.

14.3. Bales of raw scrap received for recycling should be appropriately inspected,

and, if necessary opened prior to adding them to the melt. Potential hazards include

rainwater, gas cylinders, aerosol cans, airbag inflators and munitions, as well as

radioactive-contaminated scrap. Reputable suppliers of scrap should be used to ensure that

the specification of raw materials meets these criteria.

14.4. Charge materials should be stored in a secure manner, under cover wherever

possible.

14.5. Potential carriers of moisture should be preheated to dry them before charging.

14.6. Tubes and pipes that are closed at one or both ends should not be charged.

14.7. Bins for storing scrap iron and steel should have holes in their base to facilitate

drainage.

14.8. Corroded material should not be added to induction furnaces.

14.9. The risk from radioactive sources is dealt with in section 5.2.4.

14.10. General hazards encountered in iron and steel reclamation include: molten

metal, dust, fumes, noise, heat and toxic materials.

14.11. The burning and drying process used to separate industrial waste (e.g. lathes,

milling and boring machines) exposes the operator to non-specific particulate matter.

14.12. General protection and prevention should be observed for these processes and

specific and effective first-aid measures should be available in the event of a serious

incident.

14.13. Reputable suppliers of scrap should make efforts to educate new entrants to

the market on OSH.