Text For Citation: 03 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

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 were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm, including severe burns, to employees in that employees were exposed to dust explosion, deflagration, or other fire hazards from improperly designed and installed dust collection systems: In the following locations, dust collection systems exposed employees to potential fire and explosion hazards: A. North Building, Re-grind Area: On, or about, October 6, 2022, employees were exposed to fire and/explosion hazards because the combustible and explosive rubber dust generated by the rubber granulator traveled through a pneumatic conveying system into a dust collection system which had no protective measures to detect, suppress, contain and isolate any combustible dust fires and/or explosions that were at risk of occurring in or entering the work area. Note: The dust collection system included hoods, ducts and the Sterling cyclone dust collector. B. North Building, Urethane Buffing Machine: On, or about, October 6, 2022, employees were exposed to fire and/or explosion hazards because the combustible and explosive urethane dust generated by the buffing machine traveled through a dust collection system which had no protective measures to detect, suppress, contain and isolate any combustible dust fires and/or explosions that were at risk of occurring in or entering the work area. Note: The dust collection systems included ducts, Bjerkan & Co., Inc. dust collector and a collection barrel.