Sugar Dust Probable Cause of Tragic Explosion

Our prayers are out from around the globe for the families and workers of the tragic explosion at the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia. Early this morning, the company CEO  stated in a WTOC Channel 11 news report that sugar dust might be the probable cause.

It will take the full-time team of Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation  Board
investigators who should be arriving shortly to assess the root causes
of the explosion. This brings back grim reminders of the BP Texas City explosion nearly three years ago on 23 March 2005. But who would of thought something as harmless as sugar dust could of caused such a tragedy, equivelant to flammable petroleum products igniting?

Explosions at sugar refineries are not a rare occurrence in the industry. Three months ago an explosion rocked the Domino Sugar Co. in Baltimore, Maryland. The cause is still under investigation and fire investigators are looking into the dust collection system as a possible cause.

Back in November 2006, the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation  Board
completed a two year investigation of industrial dust explosions and
the findings were troubling in that over the past 25 years there have
been 281 combustible dust fires in 44 states that have killed 119
workers and injured 718.

Products such as grain, flour, or sugar can develop a dangerous dust
cloud in the refining process and then all that is needed is heat and
oxygen to complete that volatile fire triangle. The ignition source can
be found in many sources such as static, friction, sparks from
machinery or electrical equipment, heat or fire. 

At the root of the problem concerning the unfortunate history of
industrial dust explosions is that  there is no comprehensive
governmental worker safety standard in the workplace to protect workers
as is the case in the petroleum refining industry with the Occupational
Health and Safety  Administration (OSHA). Hazards of dust in the
workplace need the same precautions as working with flammable petroleum
products and need  to be properly addressed in OHSA's Hazard Communication Program.

CSB Investigation 

Map Imperial Sugar Plant