Although no one was killed in last Sunday’s explosion, it was not the first safety violation for the flour and animal feed company. Six workers died in an October 2011 grain elevator explosion at Bartlett Grain Company in Atchison, Kan. Following that incident, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Bartlett Grain with a total of thirteen violations of workplace safety rules, leaving Bartlett to foot a $406,000 fine.
And just 6 months ago, another Bartlett Milling facility in Kansas was cited for violations of OSHA’s safety standards requiring that potentially explosive grain not be allowed to accumulate.
Accumulation of combustible flour dust may have been the cause of Sunday’s explosion, NCOSH reports. According to recent investigations by NPR, Center for Public Integrity and Kansas City Star, there have been 7.5 grain explosions, on average a year between 2002 and 2011.
Although OSHA has rules to prevent explosions in grain handling facilities, explosions such as these serve as a reminder of the need for concrete standards to protect workers from combustible dust explosions. “Combustible dust is known to be a huge explosion hazard, yet safety regulators have done little to protect workers from exposure to it,” says Tom O’Connor, executive director of the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health. “OSHA has been sitting on a combustible dust standard since 2009. Given the prevalence of explosions caused by combustible dust, the agency should promulgate a rule that protects workers from it immediately.”
Learn more about National Council of Occupational Safety and Health, and its stance on the combustible dust safety standards.