A foundry worker on his 9th day in the job fell into a vat of molten iron and was 'immediately incinerated'

• A foundry worker in Mapleton, Illinois, died in June after falling into a vat of molten iron.
• Federal investigators say inadequate safety protections may be to blame for the worker's death.

A 39-year-old worker on just his ninth day on the job at a Caterpillar-operated foundry in Mapleton, Illinois, died after falling into a vat of molten iron.

The worker was "immediately incinerated" in the incident, which occurred in June, per the Department of Labor.

Federal investigators say that inadequate safety protections may have contributed to the worker's death and propose to fine the foundry operator Caterpillar of $145,027.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), part of the Department of Labor, determined that the foundry routinely exposed employees to unprotected fall hazards, even though they worked less than four feet from deep ceramic containers of molten iron that were heated to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Caterpillar has 15 working days to either comply with the proposed penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings of the investigation.

"A worker's life could have been spared if Caterpillar had made sure required safety protections were in place, a fact that only adds to this tragedy," said OSHA's regional administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago.

"Caterpillar's foundry is one of the nation's largest, and they should be acutely aware of industry regulations to protect workers using smelters and other dangerous equipment," he added.

A Caterpillar spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News: "Our thoughts remain with this employee's family, friends and colleagues. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority at all Caterpillar locations around the world."

The company would "continue to engage with OSHA to seek an appropriate resolution to its review," the spokesperson added.

Caterpillar did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, sent outside normal working hours.