Safety Resources to Protect Workers from Combustible Dust Hazards and Other Airborne Risks

Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP). The original Combustible Dust NEP was issued in 2007, following a number of combustible dust incidents that resulted in fatalities, serious injuries, and property destruction.

The purpose of the revised NEP is to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration, and explosion hazards. The agency reports the revisions introduce a new approach for locating and inspecting subject establishments.

Any combustible material can burn rapidly when in a finely divided form. If such a dust is suspended in air in the right concentration, and under certain conditions, it can become explosible. Even materials that do not burn in larger pieces (such as aluminum or iron), given the proper conditions, can be explosible in dust form. These materials are used in a broad range of industries and processes, such as commercial bakeries, agriculture, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, furniture manufacturing, textiles, fossil fuel power generation, recycling operations, and metal working and processing.

“OSHA conducts around 600 inspections each year looking for combustible dust hazards,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “Just two months ago, the agency announced proposed fines of over $300k for a company that experienced a combustible dust incident in April. That tragic case hospitalized three workers and caused significant property damage.”

Fortunately, there are ways to monitor indoor conditions and test for combustible dusts. CTSI’s industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, and safety professionals not only perform combustible dust testing services, they can train employees and managers to implement dust control, ignition control, prevention, and protection measures to mitigate combustible dust dangers. These resources protect people, property, and help to keep businesses and institutions in regulatory compliance. CTSI also recently sponsored an educational video about combustible dust hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/FI8xWuQ3ukE

To learn more about CTSI’s industrial hygiene, environmental, health, safety, and construction services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail