June 29, 2005 — Carolyn Merritt, Chairman of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) declared chemical dust explosions in the US are a “serious industrial safety problem” in opening a day-long hearing into the hazards of such accidents. Chairman Merritt noted the CSB’s preliminary research reveals that nearly 200 dust fires and explosions have occurred in US industrial facilities over the past 25 years, resulting in approximately 100 fatalities and 600 injuries.
Dust explosions are preventable,” she said at the hearing, convened by the CSB as part of an ongoing investigation into the causes and prevention of dust explosions, like the tragedies in Kinston, North Carolina (West Pharmaceutical Services), Corbin, Kentucky (CTA Acoustics), and Huntington, Indiana (Hayes Lemmerz), in 2003. A total of 14 people were killed and 81 injured in these three accidents.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. More information about the CSB is available on the Web site.
