It could happen at any woodworking plant. Any time. Anywhere. If your company processes wood flour, or produces fine particles of wood dust during machining operations, you have the potential for a combustible dust explosion.

At the Combustible Dust Stakeholder Meeting, held Dec. 14 in Washington, DC, discussion was held on whether certain types of facilities should be exempt from the proposed regulation.

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Combustible Dust: osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=21152

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.