OSHA reissued the Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program in March 2008 following the fatal dust explosion and fire at the Imperial Sugar refinery Port Wentworth, GA. The blast killed 14 workers and injured 36, several with second- and third-degree burns.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which investigates industrial accidents, found written warnings of explosive dust hazards in refinery memos from the 1960s, indicating that the tragedy could have been averted by routine housekeeping. The deaths were blamed on a chain of secondary explosions that spread through the packaging plant, fueled by layers of dust.
For a video, visit csb.gov/videoroom/detail.aspx?VID=33
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which investigates industrial accidents, found written warnings of explosive dust hazards in refinery memos from the 1960s, indicating that the tragedy could have been averted by routine housekeeping. The deaths were blamed on a chain of secondary explosions that spread through the packaging plant, fueled by layers of dust.
For a video, visit csb.gov/videoroom/detail.aspx?VID=33
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