Explosive dust draws warning from OSHA

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080621/NEWS/806210311

78 county companies will get letters outlining the risks; some are already curbing the problem

By Damian Mann
Mail Tribune
June 21, 2008

Dusty workplaces could prove more hazardous to employees than many Jackson County companies imagined.

A letter to 2,500 companies statewide from the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration will alert businesses later this month to the potential problem of dust igniting under the right circumstances. The letter cites an explosion at a Georgia sugar mill that killed 13 on Feb. 7.

In Jackson County, OSHA listed at least 78 companies that will receive the letters explaining the dangers of combustible dust, which can be produced by everything from flour to wood.

"There may be companies that don't realize they have these hazards," said OSHA spokeswoman Melanie Mesaros.

Explosions can occur if there are sufficient quantities of oxygen, a fuel source such as dust particles and something to ignite it.

"These three things in the right combination could result in a fire," said Mesaros.

FULL story at link.