Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001A 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 were exposed to combustible dried milk powder dust deflagration hazards when moving accumulated (layered) fugitive dust emissions from surfaces (i.e., structural members, equipment, floors, walls, etc.) in a manner which allowed for the formation of dense dust clouds via the use of high pressure compressed air and which did not control for potential ignition sources: (a) On or about March 1, 2024, in areas such as the Basement Area and Main Production Area, employees were allowed to utilize compressed air to perform blowdown methods of cleaning to remove accumulated combustible dried milk powder dust from surfaces, including but not limited to, horizontal surfaces including the floor, equipment, ducts, pipes, conduit, building structural members, and other associated equipment in a manner which allowed for the generation of dried milk powder dust clouds and which did not fully control for potential ignition sources from machinery and other electrical equipment. These conditions exposed employees in the building to the hazard of combustible dust deflagration (flash fire) capable of causing injury in the form of thermal burns.