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 were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to combustible dust explosion, deflagration, and fire hazards associated with an outdoor dust collection system handling combustible dust containing steel and grinding media: On or about March 6, 2020: An Imperial Systems CMAXX cartridge filter dust collector, Model CM-16 Serial Number 2654 was used to collect combustible dust containing high carbon steel and grinding media from upstream grinding operations located in Building 2. (a) Employees working inside of the building were exposed to the hazardous byproducts of an internal dust collector fire (i.e. smoke, toxic gases, sparks, embers, etc.) as the dust collector's exhaust air was returned directly indoors without means to prevent exposures. (b) Employees working inside of the building at connected workstations were exposed to combustible dust deflagration propagation hazards (i.e. moving flame front) as means were not present to isolate the upstream work areas from an internal dust collector deflagration. (c) Employees working outside of the building and in the vicinity of the outdoor dust collector were exposed to combustible dust explosion hazards (i.e. escaping flame front, escaping pressure wave, projectile hazards, etc.) as means were not present to protect the dust collector against an over-pressure condition resulting from an internal dust collector deflagration. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means of abatement are outlined in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 484 "Standard for Combustible Metals, 2019 ed." -  Sections 11.2.4.4.11.2 (dust collector explosion protection), 11.2.4.4.11.4 (deflagration propagation protection  isolation), 11.2.4.4.13 (exhaust air requirements), and 11.2.4.4.17 (hot particle generating operations).