Ford Rouge Plant accident kills four
On February 1st, 1999, disaster befell the Rouge Factory complex as an explosion ripped through their power plant, killing four workers and injuring 27. One month later, fifteen of the 27 were still in area hospitals, suffering from severe burns. New Ford Motor Company chairman William Clay Ford Jr. called it “the worst day of my life.”
Initial investigations led to a possible gas buildup inside boiler #6, and many on scene referred to the incident as an Act of God, with no preparations possible. However, labor news publications pointed to prior troubles with the boiler system.
In 1986, several workers suffered burn injuries in a small grade explosion. Three years later, another incident released airborne asbestos, flooded access tunnels, and killed two subcontractors.
A further episode in 1996 did bring obvious safety concerns to the attention of agencies after a turbine exploded. An independent report did allude to the fact the power plant was advanced in age in spite of an otherwise decent performance record.
Claims and counterclaims began to fly from both sides of the aisle immediately after the 1999 accident. At that point in time, Ford was in the middle of a substantial cost cutting campaign while trying to refocus its operations, which included the $6.5 billion acquisition of Volvo.
Detractors would point out, through the use of time-study specialists on site, that jobs were often not done correctly or completely. Emphasis points on safety were often ignored by upper management, according to claims, in order to save on the budget.
A labor publication also cited the fact that the powerhouse was due to be replaced by a new Consumers Power facility located near the site. Therefore, it was claimed that extra expenditures could not be spent on the old powerhouse, seeing that it could be mothballed regardless.
Ford did its best to deflect those claims as unsubstantiated, indicating that the powerhouse in question was a “well-oiled machine,” which was maintained properly.
The UAW would mention that incidents like these were understandable on the job, and made a concerted effort to visit all those hospitalized as well as comfort their immediate families.
Despite this support, calls were made for the UAW to begin opening Ford’s budget books as well as review their overall safety standards at the Rouge complex.
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