COVID-19 outbreak at Stelco’s Lake Erie Works pickle line facility

Three workers at Stelco's Lake Erie Works pickle line have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the health unit to declare an outbreak at the Nanticoke facility.

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit says the affected employees and coworkers who were in close contact with them are in self-isolation and monitoring for symptoms.

The health unit has also been in touch with the employees' outside contacts.

Upon being advised of an employee testing positive for COVID-19, Stelco immediately implemented its response plan, including conducting a deep cleaning of the entire pickle line facility by a specialized sanitation team prior to the pickle line resuming operation," Trevor Harris, Stelco's vice-president of corporate affairs, said in a statement released Sunday afternoon.

The pickle line facility uses strong acid to remove impurities from hot-rolled steel, which is then sent on to customers or to Hamilton to be finished on the company's galvanizing line.

The company said its other facilities in Nanticoke and its Hamilton operation have not been affected by the outbreak.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.