CSB gives status report on recommendations; notes lack of combustible dust standard

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board recently provided updates on safety recommendations from two previous investigations.

All but one of the agency’s recommendations following the fatal combustible dust explosion in 2008 at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, GA, have been implemented. The uncompleted recommendation is for OSHA to promulgate a new combustible dust standard for general industry.

Despite CSB recently reissuing its call for action on a combustible dust standard, OSHA lowered the rule to the “long-term actions” stage in its latest regulatory agenda. “I continue to advocate for a comprehensive combustible dust standard, and encourage industry’s support,” CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said in a Feb. 7 statement marking the fourth anniversary of the Imperial explosion.

CSB said recommendations issued after the 2007 propone explosion at the Little General convenience store in Ghent, WV, have largely been implemented. However, the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services has failed to require hazardous materials response refresher training for all emergency medical personnel every year instead of the current mandate of every two years.

Related: See the February 2012 timeline of combustible dust incidents.​