World Grain - April 2018 - 15

Seven dust explosions reported in United States in 2017
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, U.S. - There were seven reported grain dust explosions at U.S. food and agricultural facilities in 2017, two more than in 2016 but still below the 10-year
average of 9.3 explosions per year, according to an annual report issued on March 8 by Purdue University's Department of
Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
7KH H[SORVLRQV LQ UHVXOWHG LQ ¿YH IDWDOLWLHV DQG LQMXries. Incidents were reported at one pet food plant, one grain mill
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There were three fatalities in 2016.
Kingsly Ambrose, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering and lead author of the report, said preventive
measures can be taken to avoid dust explosions.
"Even with a 40% increase in the volume of grains handled and
processed since the OSHA grain-handling standard was promulgated in 1988, the number of incidents has steadily declined over
the past 10 years," Ambrose said. "Keeping the facility clean,
training employees and contract workers, keeping equipment in
good working condition by preventive maintenance and the use of
dust explosion suppression systems and venting systems are good
prevention practices."
Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon and Minnesota each reported
one explosion last year, and two happened in Wisconsin. All dust
explosion fatalities in 2017 happened in Wisconsin during a sinJOHLQFLGHQWZKLFKDOVRDFFRXQWHGIRULQMXULHV

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On May 31, an explosion at a Didion Milling Inc. facility in
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the explosion likely resulted from Didion's failures to correct
the leakage and accumulation of highly combustible grain dust
throughout the facility and to properly maintain equipment to
control ignition sources.
OSHA cited Didion Milling with 14 willful citations, including
8 willful per-instance egregious citations. Didion also was cited
ZLWK¿YHVHULRXVFLWDWLRQVPRVWLQYROYLQJ¿UHDQGH[SORVLRQKD]ards. The company has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator
Enforcement Program.
Didion Milling is contesting some of the citations issued by
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In two cases, the cause was reported as an overheated bearing
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sources, which Ambrose said is often the case due to the exploVLRQGHVWUR\LQJHYLGHQFHWKDWFRXOGFRQ¿UPWKHVRXUFH
Ambrose said dust is generated when grain is moved, which is
why most 2017 explosions occurred in the latter half of the year
when grain is more likely to be handled.
"Though explosion suppression systems provide some protection, we must keep in mind that grain dust explosions can only
be controlled through preventive measures," Ambrose explained.

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World Grain - April 2018

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