March 20, 2013 (Press-News.org) In the past six years, there have been over 50 combustible dust fires or explosions in the nation, causing nearly 170 injuries and more than 30 deaths. One explosion at a sugar refinery killed 14 workers and injured over 40 people. Such explosions and fires also cause extensive damage to industrial buildings and facilities each year.
Combustible dust
Under certain conditions, combustible materials -- and materials that do not normally burn -- can explode in dust form, causing serious injuries and wrongful deaths. A wide range of materials fall within this category and include the following industrial substances:
- Plant materials such as grain, tobacco, wood, paper and pulp
- Metals such as zinc, iron, aluminum, chromium and magnesium
- Foods such as those containing sugar, flour, spice or starch
- Fossil fuels
- Other items such as plastics, textiles, dyes, pesticides and pharmaceuticals
When the substances are reduced to dust form through the manufacturing process and hang in the air in specific concentrations, they create volatile circumstances that can lead to explosions. The conditions creating these deadly explosions and fires are highly controllable, meaning that companies have the capabilities to keep their workers safe. However, they are not required by law to do so.
New laws sought to create safe working environments
In an effort to create safer workplaces for industrial employees in the U.S., the federal legislature is revisiting a bill entitled the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act. The bipartisan bill will force the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish interim protections for workers that prevent combustible dusts from accumulating.
OSHA creates and enforces guidelines for working conditions and safety measures for America's workers. Employers are obligated to provide safe working environments and safety devices for their employees. However, there are many instances of employers violating OSHA rules.
While some industries take steps to protect their employees from dust explosions, there is currently little federal regulation requiring them to do so. While OSHA has some protections in place, many claim that special interest groups and red tape are keeping the administration from enacting laws necessary for the protection of workers.
Although having new OSHA standards in place will not cure the problem, it will be a step in the right direction for people working around combustible dust particles.
Legal assistance for injured workers and surviving families
If you have suffered an injury in the workplace or elsewhere due to the negligence of an employer, business or individual, consult an experienced attorney. A lawyer knowledgeable about workers compensation claims and personal injury cases can help ensure that your rights are protected and that you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled.
Article provided by Huber & Palsir, LLC
Visit us at www.huberpalsir.com
Combustible dust explosions cause injuries and deaths in the workplace
Under certain conditions, combustible materials and materials that do not normally burn, can explode in dust form, causing serious injuries and wrongful deaths in the workplace.
2013-03-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Overtime wage laws for Florida's blue collar workers
2013-03-20
In 1938 Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, legislation setting regulations for wages employees earn, records employers keep and how much children may work. The far-reaching law affected more than 700,000 workers at the time it was passed, and most public and private sector employers must follow its requirements. As time passed, lawmakers amended the FLSA to strengthen the protections the law offers to workers. The law does not treat all employees in the same manner, however, and some confusion can emerge about how the FLSA's rules apply. Those who work in blue ...
Distracted walking? Gadgets can be just as dangerous for pedestrians
2013-03-20
Americans LOVE their cellphones. They love to talk, text, check email, play games, catch up on work, listen to a favorite playlist, update social networking sites, make plans, stay abreast of news and find local deals. It's like the world is right at your fingertips, and multitasking is no longer a foreign concept for most people. All these things and more can be done on an internet-enabled smart phone, but that's not necessarily a good thing. With more than 250,000,000 cell phone users across the country, more and more people are becoming engrossed in the virtual world ...
Supreme Court hears arguments in DUI blood test case
2013-03-20
The United States Supreme court recently heard oral arguments in a case that will affect drivers' Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful searches and seizures. Specifically, the issue in the case, Missouri v. McNeely is whether law enforcement must obtain a warrant before ordering a blood test for alcohol.
Background of case
The facts of the case began in October 2010 when a Missouri highway patrol officer stopped Tyler McNeely for speeding. During the stop, the officer suspected that McNeely had been drinking. As a result, the officer ordered McNeely to perform ...
Florida Supreme Court to rule on access to Intoxilyzer documentation
2013-03-20
A ruling by the Florida Supreme Court could change the game for individuals facing drunk driving charges. For years, Florida defense attorneys in the state have had to deal with potentially unreliable results of breath tests used to convict individuals of DUI. Unfortunately, many, attempting to gain information pertaining to the devices, have encountered road blocks.
However, this may soon change. The Florida Supreme court recently heard arguments relating to the discovery of information pertaining to these alcohol breath tests.
The legal affects of breath alcohol ...
Attorney-Client Privilege: Keeping Client Email Communications Private
2013-03-20
Nearly every single one of us has received an email by mistake. Perhaps we have a similar name to a coworker, or one of our friends sent us something they meant to send to someone else. Most the time, we simply delete the email and remind ourselves to be careful in the future to ensure that we do not also do the same thing.
When an attorney-client email falls into the wrong hands, it could have a devastating impact on a client's case. As lawyers and clients continue to adapt to constantly changing technology, they both need to take steps to ensure that they communications ...
Medical Errors A Widespread Problem: Health Care Workers Need To Act To Prevent Medical Errors
2013-03-20
Part of the Hippocratic Oath that all doctors must swear when they obtain their licenses to practice medicine is a vow to "do no harm or injustice" to their patients. However, many physicians in the U.S. are not keeping their promises not to harm patients. The U.S. health care system is rife with preventable medical errors, and health care professionals need to make changes to eliminate these mistakes.
Medical errors a widespread problem
Preventable errors have become endemic to U.S. health care. A study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University ...
Government Issues Final Rule Regarding Physician Payment Disclosure
2013-03-20
On February 1, 2013 the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare announced they had created the final version of the rule that will allow for the implementation of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. Congress passed the Physician Payment Sunshine Act in 2010 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but officials have encountered delays in putting it into effect. With the creation of the final rule, officials hope that there will be more transparency regarding the financial aspects of the health care industry.
Disclosing financial relationships
The goal ...
Bloomberg News Interviews Rheingold Law Firm Regarding Robotic Surgery Law Suits
2013-03-20
The reporter, Robert Langreth, interviewed Paul D. Rheingold, partner in the New York law firm of Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, McCartney & Giuffra LLP, in relation to a lawsuit our firm has started for the death of a 24 year old woman where the robot was used in a hysterectomy. It caused burns to an artery, cutting off circulation to her bowels leading to a condition which the operative note described as "incompatible with life."
In the New York suit, McCalla v. Intuitive Surgical Inc., the reporter not only spoke with our firm but also spoke with our ...
What UDI Means to Medical Patients
2013-03-20
From thermometers and blood sugar meters to high-tech pacemakers and hip implants, medical devices help assess and treat millions of patients in California and across the U.S., but they are not problem free. When problems develop with medical devices - such as those implanted in patients - identifying the issue and tracking the defective medical devices is both critical and difficult to do. Now, a proposed Food and Drug Administration process to track medical devices could help.
It's called the Unique Device Identification process, or UDI, and it would require nearly ...
Attend the 2013 SummerFun Horseshoe Tournament and Stay at the Nearby Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry Hotel
2013-03-20
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry SC Hotel offers nearby lodging to the 2013 SummerFun Horseshoe Tournament. Taking place March 23-24 at Marion Davis Park, this 5th annual event will be the first stop on the Horseshoe Pitchers Pro Tour. Festivities at the tournament will also include kids inflatables and corn hole games.
Sponsored by the South Carolina Horseshoe Pitching Association, the SummerFun Horseshoe Tournament is a great opportunity for spectators to watch some of the best horseshoe players in the country. For tournament entry information and event ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Fecal microbiome and bile acid profiles differ in preterm infants with parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis
The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) receives €5 million donation for AI research
Study finds link between colorblindness and death from bladder cancer
Tailored treatment approach shows promise for reducing suicide and self-harm risk in teens and young adults
Call for papers: AI in biochar research for sustainable land ecosystems
Methane eating microbes turn a powerful greenhouse gas into green plastics, feed, and fuel
Hidden nitrogen in China’s rice paddies could cut fertilizer use
Texas A&M researchers expose hidden risks of firefighter gear in an effort to improve safety and performance
Wood burning in homes drives dangerous air pollution in winter
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: January 23, 2026
ISSCR statement in response to new NIH policy on research using human fetal tissue (Notice NOT-OD-26-028)
Biologists and engineers follow goopy clues to plant-wilting bacteria
What do rats remember? IU research pushes the boundaries on what animal models can tell us about human memory
Frontiers Science House: did you miss it? Fresh stories from Davos – end of week wrap
Watching forests grow from space
New grounded theory reveals why hybrid delivery systems work the way they do
CDI scientist joins NIH group to improve post-stem cell transplant patient evaluation
Uncovering cancer's hidden oncRNA signatures: From discovery to liquid biopsy
Multiple maternal chronic conditions and risk of severe neonatal morbidity and mortality
Interactive virtual assistant for health promotion among older adults with type 2 diabetes
Ion accumulation in liquid–liquid phase separation regulates biomolecule localization
Hemispheric asymmetry in the genetic overlap between schizophrenia and white matter microstructure
Research Article | Evaluation of ten satellite-based and reanalysis precipitation datasets on a daily basis for Czechia (2001–2021)
Nano-immunotherapy synergizing ferroptosis and STING activation in metastatic bladder cancer
Insilico Medicine receives IND approval from FDA for ISM8969, an AI-empowered potential best-in-class NLRP3 inhibitor
Combined aerobic-resistance exercise: Dual efficacy and efficiency for hepatic steatosis
Expert consensus outlines a standardized framework to evaluate clinical large language models
Bioengineered tissue as a revolutionary treatment for secondary lymphedema
Forty years of tracking trees reveals how global change is impacting Amazon and Andean Forest diversity
Breathing disruptions during sleep widespread in newborns with severe spina bifida
[Press-News.org] Combustible dust explosions cause injuries and deaths in the workplaceUnder certain conditions, combustible materials and materials that do not normally burn, can explode in dust form, causing serious injuries and wrongful deaths in the workplace.