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Six Dead from Georgia Sugar Refinery Blast. Did OSHA Do Its Job? |
Did the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) inaction in setting a combustible dust standard play a role in yesterday’s deadly explosion at a Savannah, Ga., sugar refinery that killed six workers and injured 42?
Imperial Sugar CEO John Sheptor told the Associated Press:
As far as we know, it was a sugar dust explosion.
According to the AP, in a November 2006 report, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which investigates industrial chemical accidents, recommended that OSHA issue a comprehensive combustible dust standard for general industry. A posting on the Chemical Safety Board site Friday said the 2006 recommendation was still open.
According to the blog OSHA Underground, OSHA administrator Edwin G. Foulke Jr. said about the CSB recommendation:
A combustible dust fire and/or explosion is a potential hazard to America’s working men and women. This instruction will be a valuable resource for those who inspect industrial facilities in the United States.
The CSB has sent an investigate team to Savannah and we’ll keep you posted on any developments.
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FYI: This story from WSWS provides more detailed information.
US: Six dead, dozens injured in Georgia sugar plant explosion
By Naomi Spencer
9 February 2008
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/feb2008/fire-f09.shtml
“The disaster is the latest in a series of devastating and preventable industrial accidents linked to the build-up of combustible powders, for which federal safety investigators recommended regulatory standards in 2006.”
Note: At the bottom of this story are links to stories of additional disasters last year.
Yes, the Bush Administration should go to jail for their deliberate neglect of their duty to protect workers. But let’s look at the unions too. How many of the unions bother to have health and safety staff? The National AFL-CIO has a health and safety department of two (TWO!!). Many COSH groups can scarcely find a union official who will lift a finger to help. We bust our butts to elect Democrats, but when they’re in office, we don’t demand that they do something to keep our brothers and sisters alive.
Too many union officials seem to enjoy their plush offices, lavish expense accounts, nice salaries and being entertained by the corporate execs a little too much. They don’t want to risk these perks fighting for the rank and file.