Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees working indoors at or near a cartridge dust collector collecting metal dust were exposed to associated fire hazards during system operation as the exhaust air was being discharged directly into the work area: a) MW Industries, Inc. dba Mohawk Spring Corporation, Schiller Park, IL- On May 3, 2018, the Donaldson Torit Oval cartridge dust collector (model # DF03-018) labeled "C" used to collect a mixture of carbon and stainless steel dust from an upstream automated grinding operation exhausted filtered air directly into the work area. Employees working inside the building were exposed to the hazardous byproducts of an internal dust collector fire (i.e. smoke, toxic gases, embers, flames, etc. from burning metal dust and/or filter media) as a result of the exhausting of filtered air into the building. Among other methods, one feasible means of abatement would be to follow the guidance in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 484 Standard for Combustible Metals, 2015 ed.  Sections 9.4.13.11 and 9.4.13.15.7.5 (recycling of exhaust air) and prohibit the recycling of exhaust air from dry-type dust collectors into the buildings by exhausting directly outdoors to a safe location, away from any air intakes.