Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 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 likely to cause death or serious physical harm to the employees in that employees were exposed to severe burn injuries form potential dust explosion that could have resulted from, or have been exacerbated by the use of non-metallic duct: (a)Wedge Mill: Employees were exposed to a fire hazard from static charge generation while collecting and blowing a combustible dust through the drawer department dust collection system. Nonmetallic duct such as 4 inch sewer and drain PVC pipe was used to move the combustible saw dust outside of the building, as observed on February 23, 2011. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to follow accepted safe practices such as but not limited to; a) install metallic/conductive duct work to prevent static electric charge generation by the airflow, b) ground and bond metallic duct work, and c) flexible ducting shall be permitted for final machine connection in a length not exceeding the minimum required for machine operation, as addressed in NFPA 664, Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities, 2007 Edition, paragraph 7.9.1, 7.9.2, 8.2.2.2.1.1, and 8.2.2.2.1.2. ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM