FROM THE DESK OF RANDALL A. KROCKA

SMOHIT Administrator

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NFPA Standards - A Viable Solution to Reduce Combustible Dust Accidents

The Chemical Safety Board, a federal agency that investigates industrial accidents, has tallied 57 combustible-dust incidents from 2009 to 2013 in which 26 people died and 129 were injured. They include three flash fires during six months at a Tennessee metals plant that killed five workers in 2011, and one last year that killed a worker and injured two at an Arkansas recycling plant. And OSHA is considering dust as a possible cause of a January 2014 mill collapse, which killed two people and injured 10.

Grinding, polishing or packaging materials such as grains, plastics and metals all create dust. Under certain conditions, an errant spark-or static electricity-can cause the particles to ignite or explode with enough force to topple buildings.  

Please click here for more information on this important topic from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).