Industrial Fire Prevention

From Powder/Bulk Solids Corn Flour Mill Cited for Explosion, Electric Shock Hazards January 28, 2015     The accumulation of combustible grain dust requires more than just wiping surfaces to eliminate them. Grain dust accumulation, in the right combination of particle size, air and an ignition source, can expose workers to possible explosions or combustible dust hazards, according to citations issued to Minsa Corp. by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) . OSHA cited the employer for 33 serious violations, including exposing workers to electric shock, with a proposed penalty totaling $151,200. "Dust accumulation exists in many industries including flour, feed, grain and sugar, requiring these employers to implement a standard housekeeping policy," said Elizabeth Linda Routh, OSHA's area director in Lubbock. "It is the employer's responsibility to find and fix hazards that could harm workers...

From the Woodworking Network blog, a good article on OSHA press releases in which wood products firms have been cited for serious, repeat and/or willful safety and health violations. What is your corporate safety culture like? Only serious "continuous significant improvement", and benchmarking best engineering practices to your health and safety program will prevent these type OSHA violations and citations.  Ignorance and negligence of current NFPA Standards for combustible dust, dust collection and other safety practices is what causes OSHA to have to police your business. Like Rich in this article, I shake my head every time I read one of these stories or press releases, and it is almost a daily occurrence.  The shame is that many of the events in these stories could have been prevented! My business is in the field of combustible dust, and helping protect process conveying systems, and dust collection systems from fires and explosions. My primary focus is in preven...

From the Safety Links Blog, an interesting post on the current focus of OSHA  Where do you stand with the "New" OSHA? Many local companies have found out about the “new OSHA” the hard way. The old “well at least you’re trying to comply” mentality is long gone. In fact, in December 2009 we have seen even the most proactive companies receive citations for some very obscure regulations. This direction is coming from the Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis who stated in 2009... ....“ The government has a fundamental responsibility to protect workers from unsafe workplaces. We are focused on workers – not voluntary programs and alliances. We are serious about workplace protection. We are serious about workplace health. And we are serious about workplace safety... Make no mistake, the Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business. ” Here are some things you can focus on to ensure compliance: 1. Recordkeeping: On October 1, 2009, OSHA announced the national emphasis on...