OSHA Plans Meeting to Prepare for Combustible Dust Standard

The agency says it will use comments from the meetings to develop a comprehensive standard that addresses fire and explosion hazards related to combustible dust.  Additional meetings are planned for early 2010.

OSHA has escalated its combustible dust regulatory efforts ever since February 2008, when an explosion at an Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Georgia killed 14 people. Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions, according to OSHA.

Industry stakeholders who wish to participate in the meetings should fax a notice marked “Attention: OSHA Combustible Dust Stakeholder Meeting Registration” to 781-674-2906 or write to ERG Inc., 110 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02421.

Participants can also register online.