The US Department of Labour's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new safety and health instruction detailing its policies and procedures for inspecting workplaces handling combustible dusts.

Edwin G Foulke Jr, OSHA's assistant secretary of labour, says OSHA will focus its efforts on fire and explosion hazards that may exist when combustible dusts accumulate in facilities.

"A combustible dust fire and/or explosion is a potential hazard to America's working men and women," he says, adding the instruction will be a valuable resource for those inspecting industrial facilities.

Combustible dusts are either organic or metal dusts that are finely ground into very small particles, fibres, chips and/or flakes, OSHA says.

These dusts can come from metal, wood, plastic and organic materials like grain, flour, sugar, paper, soap and dried blood. Dusts can also come from textile materials.

Industries where combustible dusts are especially prevalent include agriculture, chemical, textile, forest and furniture.

The instruction gives detailed information on OSHA's inspection scheduling, resource allocation, inspection resources and procedures.
Download the instruction here: www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_03-00-006.pdf .