Last month, Federal OSHA issued a three (3) part GDC citation for a Polishing and Sanding Area’s combustible dust system. Specifically OSHA took issue with the Design and Operation of the Combustible Dust Collection system:
- Grounding and Bonding
- Duct wortk not proerly designed and installed
- excessive accumulation of COM DUST in hoods
The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm, including severe burns, to employees in that employees were exposed to fire, flash fire, deflagration, or explosion hazards from an improperly maintained dust collection system’s duct work handling explosive metal based dusts. (a) In the Polishing and Sanding Area – On or about November 15, 2024:
(1) The dust collection system was not properly grounded / bonded between the polishing and sanding units and the duct work conveying the dust to the system’s filter house.
(2) The dust collection system’s conveyance duct work was not properly designed and installed. There was excessive use of nonmetallic conduit, sharp bends and low spots between the polishing and sanding units and the duct the system’s filter house.
(3) There was excessive accumulation of metal polishing dust in the polishing equipment hoods.
Source: https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/establishment.violation_detail?id=1789593.015&citation_id=01001