The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) voted Thursday at a public meeting to approve the final report of a two-year investigation of combustible dust.
The investigation was initiated following several explosions in 2003, resulting in 14 deaths and 81 injuries. The explosions, which occurred when fine particles of combustible material were ignited, were found in several industries, including chemical manufacturing, rubber and plastic products and primary metals.
The CSB identified 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that killed 119 workers and injured 718, and extensively damaged industrial facilities. Injuries or fatalities occurred in 71 percent of the incidents.
According to the findings, there is currently no U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard that currently addresses combustible dust explosion hazards in general industry. While many states and localities have adopted fire codes that have provisions related to combustible dust, a CSB survey found that fire code officials rarely inspect industrial facilities to enforce the codes.
The Board voted to recommend that OSHA issue a new national regulatory standard designed to prevent combustible dust fires and explosions in general industry. Under provisions of the Clean Air Act, the Secretary of Labor has 180 days to respond to the Board's new recommendations.
Other Board recommendations included calling on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to modify its standard for hazardous industrial chemicals to urge that material safety data sheets (MSDSs) include combustible dust warnings.
The CSB report on combustible dust hazards will be made available on CSB.gov the week of November 13.