Georgia Plant Blast Discloses Dangerous Dust, Federal Inaction

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/13487/

Author: Mark Gruenberg
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 08/03/08 11:07

WASHINGTON (PAI) – The fatal Feb. 7 explosion at the Imperial Sugar Co. refinery in Fort Wentworth, Ga., disclosed the hazards of dangerous dust in enclose paces – which can burst into flame with the right spark – and that despite a warning an suggestions for regulation made two years ago, the GOP Bush regime’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has failed to do anything about it.

The warning about the risk came from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, an independent agency that investigates fatal industrial explosions, such as the George blast and the fatal explosion at BP’s Texas City, Texas oil refinery.

And while industry has a responsibility to provide safe working conditions, which Imperial did not at Fort Wentworth, OSHA ignored CSB’s recommendations for regulations that would be designed to cut the hazard from the dangerous dust, witnesses told the Senate Labor Committee on July 29.

The Georgia explosion, which could be seen two miles away, killed 13 workers and sent dozens more to hospitals, CSB Chairman John Breslund testified. Three are still hospitalized by their injuries, seven months later.

Three of the last four big industrial blasts CSB has probed were caused by dust, he added. BP was the exception.

The dust hazard is widespread, affecting food product factories, plastics, auto parts, drug companies, chemical companies and utilities, in addition to Imperial. Food processors and their workers are particularly vulnerable, Breslund said.

FULL story at link.