Public Hearing

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

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Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

• PANEL A CSB Hazard Study

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Investigation Staff

• Bill Hoyle, Investigation Manager
• Jordan Barab, Recommendations Manager
• Angela Blair, Lead Investigator
• Giby Joseph, Investigator
• Tiffney Cates, Investigative Intern
• Other Investigators
• Mark Kaszniak
• Cheryl MacKenzie

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Dust Fires and Explosions
Fuel
Ignition
Oxygen
Dispersion
Confinement
Oxygen
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Secondary Dust Explosion Mechanism
Dust settles on flat surfaces
Some event disturbs the settled dust into a cloud
Dust cloud is ignited and explodes
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Thin Dust Layers Can Be Hazardous
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CSB Case Histories

• West Pharmaceutical Services (completed)
• CTA Acoustics (completed)
• Hayes Lemmerz International (pending)

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West Pharmaceutical Services

• Kinston, NC
• January 29, 2003
• Polyethylene Powder

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West Pharmaceutical Services
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Video courtesy of Lenoir County, NC Department
of Emergency Services
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West Pharmaceutical Services

• 6 dead, 38 injured
• Facility virtually destroyed
• Rubber compounding process
• Fuel for dust explosion was polyethylene powder
• Used as a slab dip for sheets of rubber
• Dried residue accumulated above suspended ceiling

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(No Transcript)
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West Pharmaceutical- Selected Findings

• MSDS dip did not convey dust hazard
• Workers unaware of hazard
• Material review did not address dust explosion
  hazard
• Inspectors failed to identify hazard
• Area above ceiling not cleaned
• Pertinent fire codes not applied

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CTA Acoustics

• Corbin, KY
• February 20, 2003
• Phenolic Resin

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CTA Acoustics
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CTA Acoustics

• 7 dead, 37 injured
• Widespread facility damage
• Fuel was phenolic resin
• Lofted by cleaning
• Ignited by flames from open door of curing oven
• Secondary explosions traversed facility

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(No Transcript)
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CTA Acoustics - Selected Findings

• Measures not implemented to prevent dust
  explosions
• Hazard not communicated to workforce
• Inefficient baghouse operation
• Lack of housekeeping
• Prior inspectors failed to identify hazard
• Pertinent fire codes not applied

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Hayes Lemmerz International

• Huntington, IN
• October 29, 2003
• Aluminum Dust

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Hayes Lemmerz International
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Hayes Lemmerz

• 1 dead, 6 injured
• Scrap remelting equipment dust collector
  damaged
• Final investigation report pending

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Other Notable Dust Explosions

• Malden Mills (1995)
• Ford River Rouge Power Plant (1999)
• Jahn Foundry (1999)
• Rouse Polymerics (2002)

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Malden Mills Industries

• Methuen, MA
• December 11, 1995
• 37 injured
• Nylon fiber explosion

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Ford River Rouge Power Plant

• Dearborn, MI
• February 1, 1999
• 6 dead, 30 injured
• Secondary coal dust explosion

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Jahn Foundry

• Springfield, MA
• February 25, 1999
• 3 dead, 9 injured
• Phenolic resin explosion

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Rouse Polymerics, International

• Vicksburg, MS
• May 16, 2002
• 5 dead, 7 injured
• Rubber dust explosion

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Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dusts

• Preliminary Incident Data

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Combustible Dust Incident

• Defined for the study as
• A fire and/or explosion fueled by any finely
  divided solid material 420 microns or less in
  diameter that has caused or has the potential to
  cause, serious harm to people, property, or the
  environment.

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Incident Data Summary

• 197 Incidents since 1980
• 109 Fatalities
• 592 Injuries

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Data Inclusions Exclusions

• Inclusions
• All U.S. industrial facility incidents
• Exclusions
• Incidents in operations covered by U.S. OSHA
  grain handling standard (1910.272)
• Coal mining incidents
• Incidents in non-manufacturing sectors
  (universities, hospitals, military, retail)
• Transportation related incidents
• Incidents occurring outside the U.S.

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Future data goals

• Complete data set and verify
• Identify causal information
• Property damage/business interruption costs

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Dust Incidents/Year
1998
2003
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Fatalities/Year
2003
1999
1998
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Injuries/Year
2003
1995
1998
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Materials involved in incidents
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Incidents occur in many industries
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Incidents occur nationwide

• Illinois 21
• California 19
• Ohio 13
• Indiana 12
• Pennsylvania 11
• Iowa 10
• North Carolina 8
• Maryland 8
• Virginia 7
• Oregon 6
• New Hampshire 6
• Minnesota 6
• Kentucky 3

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Summary

• Incidents have caused many injuries and
  fatalities
• Various types of material create combustible dust
  hazards
• Incidents occur across the nation, in many
  industries

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Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dusts

• Hazard Study Objectives

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Motivation for CSBs Hazard Study

• Dust explosions are serious safety concern
• Effects are significant
• No federal regulation
• Common issues

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Study Objectives

• Determine the number and effects of combustible
  dust fires and explosions in the United States
  during the past twenty-five years.
• Evaluate the extent and effectiveness of efforts
  by state and local officials to prevent
  combustible dust fires and explosions.

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Study Objectives

• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing hazard
  communication programs and regulations with
  regard to combustible dust hazards
• Determine if additional state, federal or private
  sector activities are necessary to prevent future
  combustible dust fires and explosions.

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Additional Issues

• Should the CSB limit the study scope to the
  traditional chemicals as covered in NFPA-654,
  or include wood, food processing and metals?
• What can be done to more effectively educate
  facility owners and managers, as well as the
  workforce on the hazards of combustible dust?
• Is additional research needed to resolve
  technical issues or barriers?

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Anticipated Results

• Report of study findings mid-2006
• Recommendations to improve dust fire and
  explosion hazard knowledge, understanding and
  prevention

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www.csb.gov

• For more information, please visit our website.

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosions Hazards of Combustible Dust

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PANEL B

• Societal Impacts of Dust Fires and Explosions

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Panelists

• Video presentations
• West Pharmaceuticals Victim
• CTA Acoustics Victims
• Mike WrightUnited Steelworkers of America

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Jim Edwards
Video courtesy of WRAL TV, Raleigh, NC
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CTA Burn Victims
Video courtesy of Discovery Communications / TLC
TV, Resident Life
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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

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Panel C

• Status and Effectiveness of Fire Codes for Dust
  Fire and Explosion Prevention

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Panelists

• Al Mitchell
• Fire Marshal, State of Kentucky
• Chris Noles
• North Carolina office of State Fire Marshal
• George Miller
• National Association of State Fire Marshals
• Guy Colonna
• National Fire Protection Association
• Dave Conover
• International Code Council
• Tom OConnell
• North Carolina Department of Labor / OSHA

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

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Panel D

• Voluntary Combustible Dust Fire and Explosion
  Prevention Programs

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Panelists

• Tom Hoppe
• Ciba Specialty Chemicals
• Chuck Johnson
• The Aluminum Association
• David Oberholtzer
• Valimet, Inc.
• Randy Davis
• Kidde-Fenwal
• Henry Febo
• FM Global

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

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Panel E

• Technical Barriers to Dust Explosion Prevention
  and Protection

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Panelists

• Rolf Eckhoff
• University of Bergen, Norway
• Erdem Ural
• Loss Prevention Science and Technology, Inc.
• John Going
• FIKE Corporation
• Walt Frank
• ABS Consulting
• James Mulligan
• Lockheed Martin

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

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CSB Combustible Dust Public Hearing

• Public Comment Session

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Public Hearing

• Fire and Explosion Hazards of Combustible Dust

www.csb.gov