Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: DUST&FUMES

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that caused or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to the hazard of potential fire and explosion from combustible dust in the dust collector. The dust collection system was not designed to prevent or minimize damage that would occur in the event of a dust explosion. a) a spark detection system with a high speed abort gate or extinguishment system was not installed downstream of the last material entry points and upstream of the air-material separator on the dust collection system used where machinery having a history of producing sparks, including two sanders, a planer and 10 saws, were used. b) dust collector ducts did not have deflagration isolation or suppression system devices provided for the inlet side of the air material separator. c) a high speed abort gate operating in conjunction with a spark detections system was not provided on the return air side of the air-material separator. d) screw conveyor transporting wood dust from dust collector to compactor did not have an isolation design device installed. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD is to comply with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 664 "Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Explosion in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities," 2002 edition; NFPA 654 "Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Explosion from Manufacturing, Processing and Handling of Combustible Particulate Solids" 2006 edition; NFPA 69 "Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems" 2008 edition; NFPA 68 "Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting" 2007 edition, including but not limited to: a) install spark detectors and arrestor inside dust collection ducts b) install propagation isolation device between dust collector and building, i.e. at the first 90 degree turn on both "dirt" and "clean" side of the dust collector. c) install spark detectors and arrestor or quick acting abort gate, specifically designed for this purpose, on the recycled air into the building.