OSHA revises combustible dust emphasis program

OSHA issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) on January 30 that replaces its March 2008 directive. Its purpose is to continue inspecting facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration, and/or explosion hazards.

The NEP adds several industries with a higher likelihood of having combustible dust hazards (e.g., more than 5 inspections and greater than 50 percent of the inspections with combustible dust hazards) or experienced combustible dust-related fatalities/catastrophes:

• 311812 – Commercial Bakeries
• 325910 – Printing Ink Manufacturing
• 321912 – Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planning
• 316110 – Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing
• 321214 – Truss Manufacturing
• 424510 – Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers

Industries with a lower likelihood of having combustible dust hazards and a lower number of potential workers exposed were removed:

• 22112 – Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
• 311821 – Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
• 325810 – Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing
• 326121 – Unlaminated Plastic Profile Shape Manufacturing
• 335932 – Noncurrent Carrying Wiring Device Manufacturing
• 337920 – Blind and Shade Manufacturing

This directive does not replace the grain handling facility directive, CPL 02-01-004. However, operations involving grain processing that are outside the scope of that directive may be covered under the combustible dust directive.