美国联邦化学安全与危害调查委员会发布了对2025年8月宾夕法尼亚州匹兹堡附近克莱尔顿焦炭厂爆炸事件的最终报告[1]。该爆炸事件造成2名工人死亡、11人受伤[1]。调查发现，事故由工人用高压水冲洗气阀进行例行维护时引发，一根使用超过70年的铸铁阀门在压力下破裂，释放了可燃焦炉气[1]。
美国钢铁公司对该工厂的安全管理存在严重缺陷[1]。调查显示，公司在至少三年内让员工进行临时高压水冲洗操作，但从未制定正式的操作规程[1]。化学安全委员会委员Sylvia Johnson表示，"这次爆炸是工人多年来频繁错误执行任务的结果，最终导致灾难性爆炸"[1]。委员会建议美国钢铁公司制定规范程序[1]。此前，美国职业安全与健康管理局已向该公司罚款共计118,214美元，并发出10项违规通知[1]。值得注意的是，同一工厂在2010年7月曾发生过类似的焦炉气爆炸事件，当时造成14名美国钢铁员工和6名承包商受伤[1]。
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has released its final report on an explosion that occurred in August 2025 at the Clairton Coke Works near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operated by U.S. Steel.[1] The blast killed two workers and injured eleven others, including contractors.[1]
According to the investigation, the explosion resulted from a routine maintenance procedure in which workers used high-pressure water to flush a gas valve, causing a cast-iron valve more than seventy years old to rupture under pressure and release combustible coke oven gas.[1] The board found that U.S. Steel had conducted this high-pressure water flushing operation for at least three years without establishing formal safety procedures.[1] Board member Sylvia Johnson stated that "this explosion was the result of workers performing the task incorrectly over many years, ultimately leading to a catastrophic blast."[1]
The investigation revealed a pattern of safety failures at the facility.[1] The Occupational Safety and Health Administration had previously assessed U.S. Steel a total of $118,214 in penalties and issued ten citations for violations related to the plant.[1] The board recommended that U.S. Steel develop standardized procedures to address the company's long-standing lack of formal safety protocols.[1] The Clairton facility experienced a similar coke oven gas explosion in July 2010, which injured fourteen U.S. Steel employees and six contractors.[1]