While the Chemical Safety Board's award-winning video focuses on iron dust explosions, it is still instructional for woodworking managers that must be aware of potential combustible dust issues at their plants.

A combustible dust video produced by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) received a Silver Peer Award from the Television, Internet and Video Association of D.C. (TIVA) for safety videos released in 2012.

WorkSafeBC has provided an update on inspections of sawmills and other wood processing operations that comprise Phases I and II of the combustible dust strategy.

Lakeland Mills Ltd. is disappointed with WorkSafeBC's intention to pursue offences under the Workers' Compensation Act following the explosion and fire that destroyed the company's sawmill on April 23, 2012.

Combustible sawdust, found in every woodworking plant, turned up at unacceptable levels in 48 of 83 Canadian wood and forest products plants inspected this summer, some owned by U.S. companies. States Industries, idX and Haworth also topped the news.

Babine Forest Products and Lakeland Mills could each face fines of up to $652,000 if found guilty of violating the Workers Compensation Act. Combustible dust explosions racked the two sawmills earlier this year, killing four and injuring 52 others.

New England Wood Pellet LLC, which sustained a series of explosions and fires at its plant in Jaffrey, NH, has agreed to take corective action to prevent future outbreaks, as part of its negotiated settlement with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

With the increase of combustible dust incidents, OSHA is visiting woodworking facilities with greater frequency.

WorkSafeBC issued a warning to wood processing plants to take extra precautions in the winter months to "control the risks" that can trigger a potential combustible dust explosion.