A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.