GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) — Fire inspectors have cited a Tennessee metal powders factory where five people died in accidents last year for 11 code violations.
The violations at the Hoeganaes Corp. plant in Gallatin include an accumulation of metal dust under a conveyor system. A federal investigation of last year's accidents blamed accumulations of combustible iron dust around the factory for three fires there.
Fire inspectors previously had not cited the plant for allowing metal dust to accumulate. Senior Fire Inspector Mark Parrish tells The Tennessean that was an oversight (http://tnne.ws/AdkTyZ).
Parrish says the plant has made good progress on cleaning up the dust.
Hoeganaes has said it made several safety improvements since the deadly accidents, including adding what it called an industry-leading powder metal dust management system.