Hazards are always more dangerous when they’re hidden. Chemicals used in the workplace are chock full of hidden hazards. Each hazardous chemical must have an MSDS—Material Safety Data Sheet—warning of the hazards the chemical contains. But a new report shows that MSDSs aren’t getting the message across for one of the most lethal hidden hazards: combustible dusts.

The Hazards of Combustible Dusts

Combustible dusts are particles in the air that are apt to explode under certain conditions. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), there were 281 recorded combustible dust explosions in U.S. workplaces between 1980 and 2005. These explosions claimed the lives of 119 workers and seriously injured 718 more. They also did extensive damage to property.

Combustible dust explosions remain a problem in North American workplaces. For example, in Feb. 2008, 14 workers were killed as a result of a sugar dust explosion at a refinery in Fort Wentworth, GA.

MSDSs Not Delivering Warning of Combustible Dusts

The CSB reports that in many of these incidents, workers and managers either weren’t aware of or underestimated the danger of dust explosions. This is precisely the kind of situation the OSHA HazCom standard and equivalent WHMIS rules in Canada were designed to prevent. Training, product labels and MSDSs are supposed to ensure that those who work with hazardous chemicals know all the potential dangers and how to guard against them.

But the system isn’t working—at least for combustible dusts. The CSB reviewed MSDSs of 140 known substances that produce combustible dusts. A disturbing 41% of them didn’t warn users about potential explosion hazards. 59% of the MSDSs did mention explosion dangers. But in most cases, the information either didn’t specifically address combustible dust or was placed or stated in a manner that wasn’t “clearly recognizable” to workers. Not good.

The Law: MSDS and Combustible Dusts Hazards

So what should the MSDS say about combustible dusts? For those of you new to the topic, the MSDS is a document that describes the hazards posed by a product and explains how to use the product safely. Producers and importers of dangerous chemicals are required to prepare the MSDS and pass it downstream to users.

The MSDS of products that create combustible dust hazards should list at least the following information:

• The chemical and common name(s) of the product and its potentially dangerous ingredients;
• The chemical’s physical and chemical characteristics: In the case of combustible dusts, MSDSs should describe the potential for fire, explosion and reactivity and list the product’s minimum ignition energy (MIE), minimum explosible concentration (MEC) and dust deflagration index;
• Precautions for safe use of the product, including hygienic practices, protective measures during repair and maintenance of contaminated equipment and procedures to clean up spills and leaks; and
• Control measures, including engineering controls, work practices and PPE required.

Conclusion

We don’t need a new law to control combustible dust hazards. We just need to do a better job of following the HazCom and WHMIS laws we already have. Among other things, we need to ensure that each chemical that poses a risk of combustible dust explosions and fires carries an MSDS that provides, in a clear and conspicuous way, all the information that workers and managers need to handle the product safely.

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