US to begin dust inspections at chem, other sites

19 October 2007 19:17  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (ICIS news)--US workplace safety officials will soon begin inspecting thousands of chemical production and other manufacturing and agricultural facilities to reduce accidents due to explosive dust hazards, a federal agency said on Friday.

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an instruction to its regional offices across the US to begin on-site inspections at facilities in more than 50 industrial sectors, including chemicals, textiles, metal processing, wood and furniture, wastewater treatment, agriculture, paper products, pharmaceuticals and recycling operations for metal, paper and plastics.

 

In announcing its new combustible dust safety programme, the administration cited studies by the US Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) which found that 119 workers have been killed and more than 700 others injured in nearly 300 workplace-related dust explosions over the last 25 years.

 

OSHA assistant secretary Edwin Foulke said his agency “will focus our efforts on the fire and explosion hazards that may exist at facilities where combustible dusts accumulate,” adding that “a combustible dust fire or explosion is a potential hazard to America’s working men and women.”

 

The instruction to OSHA field offices details what facilities are to be inspected across a broad range of industrial sectors and identifies citations and penalties that may be issued against plant sites that fail to remedy dust hazards.

 

The CSB welcomed today’s action by OSHA.

 

“We’re certainly pleased that OSHA is paying increased attention to this area of deadly accidents,” said Daniel Horowitz, spokesman for the safety board.

 

However, Horowitz cautioned that it is too early for the safety board to determine whether the OSHA action is sufficient to address the explosive dust hazard.

 

“We certainly are going to study the OSHA action closely,” Horowitz said.  He noted that the safety board has made multiple recommendations to the administration for changes on OSHA safety enforcement and requirements, and the board has not had time yet to determine whether today’s OSHA action has addressed all of those safety recommendations.

 

The safety board investigates chemicals-related accidents and reports lessons learned to industry and other government agencies, but it has no enforcement powers.  OSHA is responsible for enforcing workplace safety.

 

Horowitz said the safety board is still awaiting a formal response from OSHA on the matter as required under the federal Clean Air Act statute.

By: Joe Kamalick
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