Explosions Continue at More Plants

Explosions and fires continue on a regular basis at plants and facilities throughout the United States that generate combustible dusts. So far there is no comprehensive work place  safety  standard to prevent future potential incidents where fatalities and injuries occur like at the recent Imperial Sugar refinery explosion in Georgia last week. By a stroke of luck and the grace of God, no one was injured in this incident at Endres Processing Plant.
This week another explosion occurred at the Endres Processing Plant in Rosemont, North Dakota, which recycles bakery and food byproducts into animal feed. Since there were no fatalities or injuries the incident will not be reported to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)officials

Types of Combustible Dusts

• metal dust, (aluminum and
  magnesium)
• wood dust;
•  plastic dust;
• biosolids;
• organic dust, (such as
  sugar, paper, soap) and
• dried blood; and
•  dusts from certain textiles.

The Chemical Safety Board (CSB), a federal agency in the United States completed a two year investigation concerning combustible dusts in the work place and submitted the report to the Secretary of Labor back in November 2006. The primary recommendation of the federal agency was that OSHA institute a comprehensive work place standard and regulation concerning combustible dusts. So far the Department of Labor has not followed up on this recommendation, while preventable fires, explosions, injuries, and fatalities continue to occur at plants and facilities that generate combustible dusts.

Chemical Safety Board Recommendations

• Issue a standard designed to prevent combustible dust fires and explosions

• Revise the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)Clarify that the HCS covers combustible dusts
• Amend the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) to address combustible dust hazards
• Provide training through the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) on recognizing and preventing combustible dust explosions.

• Modify ANSI Z400.1 American National Standard for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals--Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)include information on combustible dust hazards

Nearly eight years ago on May 15, 2000, Endres Processing experienced another explosion that resulted in one fatality and four injuries.

Endres Processing contested the fine stating that it was not bound to the OSHA regulation concerning combustible dust hazards since the facility was not a grain processing facility.[q
url="http://www.thisweek-online.com/2000/september/1endres.html"]According
to the contest, Endres, however, is not subject to the requirement
because Endres does not receive or use as stock material any
unprocessed grain materials. Accordingly, Endres is not a grain
handling facility and is not subject to the OSHA standard for grain
dust at such facilities.[/q]This is where the root problem is now concerning accidents that are now occurring...there is no workplace safety standard.

 

Industries
that handle combustible dusts include:

 

• agriculture
• chemicals
• textiles
• forest
  and furniture products
• wastewater
  treatment
• metal
  processing
• paper
  products
• pharmaceuticals 
• recycling
  operations (metal, paper, and plastic)
• Tire and rubber manufacturing
  plants

In addition to recent letters that prominent legislators have sent to the Secretary of Labor regarding needed amendments to OSHA work place standards concerning combustible dust hazards in the workplace a petition is now being generated by Care2, where over 8 million members have gotten involved in a myraid of issues that require change. 

 

Give Us Combustible Dust Standards - Stop The Insanity" petition!

 

 

 

 

View Larger Map