U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its final report
on three incidents during 2011 at the Hoeganaes powdered metals plant in
Gallatin, TN. Flash fires and an explosion killed five workers and injured
three. The investigation found that significant amounts of fine iron powder had
accumulated over time at the facility, and that although the company knew the
dust was combustible, it did not take the necessary action to reduce the
hazards through engineering controls and basic housekeeping. The investigation
also found that Hoeganaes did not institute procedures such as combustible gas
monitoring or provide training for employees on avoiding flammable gas fires
and explosions. CSB issued several safety recommendations, including that OSHA develop and
publish within 1 year a proposed combustible dust standard that covers
combustible iron and steel powders.
CSB also published a new safety video, “Iron in the Fire”
depicting the three incidents, and demonstrating how fine metal particles were
lofted and ignited in two of the incidents, and how a hydrogen explosion and
subsequent flash fires caused by lofted metal dust killed five workers and
injured three. The video may also be viewed on CSB’s YouTube channel.