On October 21, 2009 federal OSHA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) as a preliminary step in the development of a combustible dust standard. According to OSHA, since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions, including a Feb. 7, 2008, explosion at an Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Port Wentworth, Ga., that killed 14 people.

“Workers are dying from combustible dust explosions and it must stop,” said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. “Worker safety must be a priority, and we are committed to enforcing effective standards to prevent a repeat of these tragedies.”

OSHA has scheduled two stakeholder meeting on December 14th to discuss combustible dust hazards. The meetings will be held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. EST at the Marriott at Metro Center located at 775 12th St. NW in Washington, D.C.

OSHA will use comments from these meetings and responses to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in developing a comprehensive standard addressing fire and explosion hazards of combustible dust.

Jon