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Changes to OSHA’s Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program and West Coast Testing Resources

Industrial Hygiene Testing Services

Category	Press Release
Publish Date	3/15/2023
Author	Paul Cochrane
Title	Changes to OSHA’s Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program and West Coast Testing Resources
Introduction	LA Testing provides combustible dust testing services and air monitoring instruments to protect workers and communities, and to help keep companies in regulatory compliance.
Huntington Beach, CA, March 15, 2023 Back in 2007, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) initiated a Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) after a number of combustible dust incidents that resulted in numerous fatalities and serious injuries. Since then, OSHA has conducted about 600 inspections annually under the Combustible Dust NEP. In late January of this year, the agency issued a revised Combustible Dust NEP to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration and explosion hazards. According to OSHA, the NEP was revised based on enforcement history and combustible dust incident reports that indicated the majority of the industries involved in combustible dust hazards are wood processing, agricultural, food production and lumber production. The revised program introduces a new approach for locating and inspecting subject establishments. The following industries were added to the program as they were found to have a higher likelihood of having combustible dust hazards or experienced combustible dust-related fatalities/catastrophes: Commercial Bakeries Printing Ink Manufacturing Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber and Planning Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers “Combustible dusts are fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in air under certain conditions,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Monitoring indoor environmental conditions in the workplace is critical for preventing a combustible dust explosion in many industries, as well as for complying with health and safety regulations. To help in these efforts, LA Testing’s network of laboratories provide testing services for combustible dusts and we also carry a wide range of air monitoring instruments to support safety programs.” LA Testing sponsored an educational video about combustible dust hazards a number of years ago that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/xX0apupkO3E To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, environmental, health and safety testing resources, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. About LA Testing LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.