The collection and testing of dust samples is a long-established practice used by industrial safety and hygiene professionals to make informed dust collection decisions. While dust-testing protocols have not changed markedly in recent years, the importance of dust testing has changed. While knowing your dust has always been good practice, it is rapidly becoming a necessity in today’s regulatory climate.
A segment on the CBS News series "60 Minutes" reported that "devastating dust explosions at American factories are more common now than ever. Since 1980, there have been at least 350 such explosions in the U.S., killing 133 people and injuring hundreds more."