Congress Plans Hearing on OSHA Dust Rule
Agency Launches Web Page on Dust Safety and Health

U.S. Reps George Miller (D-Calif.) and John Barrow (D-Georgia) have introduced the Combustible Dust and Fire Prevention Act of 2008 in an attempt to prompt OSHA action on a combustible dust standard this spring. The bill would require an OSHA dust standard for general industry that is at least as protective as two National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) voluntary standards: NFPA 654 Standard for Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions from Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling of Combustible Particles 2006 and NFPA 484 Standard for Combustible Metals. It also asks OSHA to mandate hazard assessments with employee participation and training; written programs on dust inspection, testing, and housekeeping; engineering controls for fugitive dust emissions and ignition sources; and explosion protection features with separation and segregation of the hazard.

Congress has sent Labor Secretary Elaine Chao a questionnaire, asking her to address how many inspections OSHA has done through its Dust Emphasis Program, and plans to hold a hearing on the issue once it receives her responses.

OSHA created a National Emphasis Program (NEP) for dust in Oct. 2007 and a related web page earlier this year that contains a safety bulletin about dust and links to how the NEP can be used in conjunction with existing standards. The web page also covers OSHA's related directives and explanations of national consensus standards.

For further information:
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/osha20080312.htm

*Article from SSPC