Drivers of Critical Chemical Safety Change

Combustible Dust Safety

In 2013 the CSB designated four recommendations to OSHA calling for the issuance of a comprehensive general industry standard for combustible dust as the Board's first "Driver of Critical Chemical Safety Change." These recommendations arose from the CSB’s Combustible Dust Study as well as its investigations of the 2008 explosions and fire at the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth, GA, three dust-related incidents at the Hoeganaes Corporation in Gallatin, TN, and a fatal metal dust accident at the AL Solutions facility in New Cumberland, WV.

Process Safety Management for the 21st Century

Process safety management regulations in the U.S. have undergone little reform since their inception in the 1990s. Although recently there have been some positive initital steps taken toward significant improvement in process safety management at the federal level, more must be done to ensure that a more comprehensive process safety management system is in place in the U.S. to protect worker safety, public health, and the environment. The CSB has concluded that implementation of key federal and state CSB safety recommendations will result in significant improvement of Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations in the United States.

Emergency Planning and Response

Inadequate or poor emergency planning or response has been a recurring finding in the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's investigations. One of the very early CSB investigations, the Herrig Brothers Farm Propane Tank Explosion, made an emergency response recommendation for training for firefighters, as did the recently closed West Fertilizer investigation.

Safe Hot Work Practices

Hot work is defined as burning, welding, or similar spark-producing operations that can ignite fires or explosions. Hot work accidents occur throughout many industries in the U.S., including food processing, pulp and paper manufacturing, oil production, fuel storage, and waste treatment. Most hot work incidents result in the ignition of combustible materials, e.g., a roofing fire, or the ignition of structures or debris near the hot work. 

Hot Work Fact Sheet