One of the most dangerous situations to recognize in torch cutting demolished scrap metal is stored energy. Stored energy comes in many forms and has killed and injured many people in metal recycling. Today I will briefly discuss how to effectively tackle a stored energy situation regarding rolled steel.
Many times large plate or tubing will be rolled or bent into a smaller size to satisfy labor costs and shipping from the job site to the scrap yard. When plate or tubbing is bent or rolled into a new shape a phenomenon developed, stored energy! Steel hates to take on a curved shape, it always wants to lay flat and spread its wings.
When this type of material is purchased by the metal recycler, it was purchased with the intention of preparing it into small pieces acceptable by the steel mill. The sizes produced are typically 3x2, 3x3, 4x2 or 5x2. In order to do that the rolled plate or tube can be cut completely through at the desired increments if the width and thickness of the roll can satisfy these sizes. This is the safest and fastest way to cut rolled steel. This method is not always desirable. Sometime the rolls are over 5 feet wide or 3 plus feet tall causing oversized if the above method is used. Another issue with the above method is smoke, it creates a lot of smoke. If you are in a sensitive are and your dust control can't satisfy compliance of excessive thick smoke, then a different method must be employed. This situation is unique for the torch cutter, the operations manager and the safety officer.
When rolled steel needs to be torch cut and opened, layer by layer, respect of stored energy must be considered. As you open the rolled steel layers, the steel will spring open, sometime many feet, causing injury to the face, hands, feet and ankles. It is important to understand with direction to cut the rolled steel layer, where to stop before final severance, and where to stand during final severance. Once properly trained in these techniques, you can rest assured that all stored energy risk in this situation has been controlled and engineered safe.
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