Combustible Dusts

The criteria for a dust hazard are typically based on an evaluation of dust accumulations in areas of the facility. The combustible dust accumulation level that would support a fire and/or explosion, if there was an ignition source present, depends on numerous factors.  For some dusts, accumulation limits are specified. For other dusts, accumulation limits […]

OSHA has been piece-mealing its own standards along with NFPA standards to formulate a Combustible Dusts National Emphasis Program (NEP) since the 2008 Port Wentworth, GeorgiaSugar Refinery explosion.   There is always some confusion about OSHA using consensus standards outside of their own safety standards and when it comes to Com Dust enforcement, they rely heavily

Ever wonder what an OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) looks for to establish that a combustible dust hazard may be present?  Here are the top 10 indicators they look for when wondering if the business has a Combustible Dust…

During the pandemic, OSHA’s Combustible Dust team was updating OSHA’s Technical Manual with a new chapter on Combustible Dust.  If you are looking to learn more about the hazards of Com Dusts, this would be a great starting point for your reading.  And if your business manages Com Dusts, this is a MUST READ.  The

NFPA updated NFPA 499: Recommended Practice for the Classification of Combustible Dusts and of Hazardous (Classified) Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas (2021 edition) with a revised definition of “combustible flyings”.

For many of us, it will be coming!  Most states in the USA adopt the International Fire Code (IFC) as their Fire Code and HAZMAT Code; although most adopt a “revised” version of the IFC and most states run anywhere from 5-15 years behind the actual IFC.  For example, my home state of OH just

OSHA has proposed $1,837,861 in fines against a corn milling facility following a May 31, 2017, explosion that killed five workers and injured 12 others, including a 21-year-old employee who suffered a double leg amputation after being crushed by a railcar. OSHA found that the explosion likely resulted from failures to correct the leakage and

Scenario: Some equipment manufacturers believe that all equipment used in combustible dust atmospheres, including non-electrically powered vacuum cleaners, requires NRTL listing/approval. Question: Could OSHA clarify the NRTL listing/approval requirements for non-electrical vacuum cleaners used in combustible dust atmospheres?

Safety Order 01 Item 001 Type of Violation: Serious; $4,000 IC 22-8-1.1 Section 2: The employer did not establish and maintain conditions of work which were reasonably safe and healthful for employees, and free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were