Chemical dust explosions in the U.S. pose a “serious industrial safety problem,†declared Carolyn Merritt, chairman of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).
CSB held a day-long hearing into the hazards of chemical dust in June. Preliminary research reveals nearly 200 dust fires and explosions have occurred in U.S. industrial facilities over the past 25 years — resulting in about 100 fatalities and 600 injuries.