Chemical Safety Board Renews Call for OSHA Combustible Dust Standard

August 21, 2014- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) asked again for OSHA to set a general industry combustible dust standard based on findings in its recent report on the fatal combustible dust explosion at the AL Solutions metal recycling facility in West Virginia in 2010. Three employees were killed and a contractor was injured.

According to the report, the facility had a history of fatal dust fires and explosions and did not mitigate the hazards of metal dust explosions. There are no federal OSHA standards to enforce similar requirements, and AL Solutions did not choose to voluntarily follow the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard for Combustible Metals, which recommends specific practices for controlling metal dust.

The CSB first recommended that OSHA issue a standard designed to prevent combustible dust fires after a nationwide study in 2006. Last year, the agency identified its recommendation to develop a combustible dust standard as CSB’s first “Most Wanted Chemical Safety Improvement” issue.

To read more click here.

Carnow Conibear and Associates is a demonstrated leader in the occupational and environmental health professions since 1975. To find out more, click here or call us at (800) 860-4486.