OSHA Stalls on Combustible Dust, NFPA Prepares New Standards
From Composites Manufacturing Magazine OSHA Stalls on Combustible Dust, but NFPA Prepares New Standards ACMA Staff September 25, 2013 OSHA’s combustible dust rulemaking has been delayed, while the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is adding a new standard to address hazard identification and control. These were key messages presented September 20 at a Small Business Administration event attend by ACMA staff. The dust from grinding or cutting even highly filled composite laminates is “combustible” when tested using OSHA’s approved test methods. OSHA has cited several composites manufacturers for failure to comply with the current version of NFPA Standard 654, notably for poor housekeeping and locating cyclones and other dust collection equipment indoors. Under OSHA’s National Emphasis Program for combustible dust, the agency is enforcing NFPA standards while it develops its own combustible dust rule. NFPA 654 is the standard for preven...