Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: BURNS

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 in that employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion because methods and practices were not utilized to prevent air- material separators (dust collectors) from explosion or prevent propagation of fire/explosion from air-material separators into areas that were or could have been occupied by employees: a)Specialty Packaging Area/Tower Area: On or about October 10, 2010, employees required to perform corn milling operations were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion because the indoor Micro-D Pulsaire North Filter 034-202 dust collector was not provided with either fire/explosion prevention or protection controls. The dust collector was used to collect fugitive combustible corn dust. b)Specialty Packaging Area/Tower Area: On or about October 10, 2010, employees required to perform corn milling operations were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion because the indoor Micro-D Pulsaire North Filter 034-202 dust collector unsafely discharged recycled air back into the facility. The dust collector was used to collect fugitive combustible corn dust. c)Specialty Building: On or about October 10, 2010, employees required to perform corn milling operations were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion because the indoor Flex- Kleen dust collector was not provided with either fire/explosion prevention or protection controls. The dust collector was used to collect fugitive combustible corn dust. Among other methods, a feasible method to correct this hazard is to comply with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 61 "Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities (2008)", including, but not limited to: 1.Protect air-material separators (dust collectors) by containment, suppression, inerting or explosion venting as described in Sections 10.4.3 and 6.3.1 of the 2008 NFPA 61 standard. 2.Discharge air from dust collectors to the outside or install a high-speed abort gate activated by a spark detector sufficiently fast to intercept and divert any burning material to atmosphere before it can enter the facility through the recycled air duct to comply with Section 10.4.12.1 of the 2008 NFPA 61 standard. NOTE: 29 CFR 1903.19 REQUIRES THAT YOU PROVIDE CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF ABATEMENT FOR THIS ITEM.