Dust Explosions and Fires Continue Nationwide

Until the Secretary of Labor enacts a comphrehensive OSHA workplace standard  where combustible dusts are present, dust explosions and fires will continue at an unbridled rate.

Blast rattles furniture factory

"A powerful sawdust explosion shook a building and started a fire at a
furniture facility off U.S. 29 Tuesday morning, but left minimal damage
and no injuries."

 

After a two year investigation, the Chemical Safety Board  submitted a report to the Department of Labor in November 2006, concerning combustible dust hazards and the prevelance of explosions, fires, injuries, and fatalities that occur in a wide spectrum of industries.

Additionally, as recent as last week in a letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chairman on Education and Labor also requested her  to act in providing workplace standards in combustible dust environments.
Closer to the site of the Savannah dust explosion, Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Patty Murray (D-WA), who are ranking members of the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety have also sent urgent  pleas to the Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao concerning a prompt response so future catastrophes can be avoided.
Interesting enough, a two year investigation has already been completed by the Chemical Safety Board concerning dust explosions and now is the time to act with a comphrehensive regulatory framework concerning process mangement, hazard communication, and training concerning dust hazards . OSHA an agency under the umbrella of the Department of Labor, is not tasked with finding root causes of explosions like CSB, instead these regulators seek out regulatory infractions. Ironically,other than an OSHA Grain Handling Standard there are no comphrehensive regulations concerning most industries that generate  combustible dust hazards, except a general duty clause. Meanwhile, more dust explosions and fires continue in the nation's  workplace.

Fire closes Rice Lake
manufacturing plant 1/30/2008

Coal dust sends firefighters to Clinton ADM plant Friday, December 21, 2007