Plant Safety
NAMA members are committed to the safety and health of their employees. In addition to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections, grain mills are also inspected for cleanliness by Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors as well as by state inspectors.
The milling industry’s commitment to the safety and health of its employees is reflected in OSHA data. Mills are regulated by the OSHA General Duty Clause. Also, since 1987 the grain handling industry has been regulated by the only comprehensive OSHA standard that specifically addresses combustible dust hazards. The agency’s data show that since it began collecting data on dust incidents in 1980, there have been no such incidents in the milling industry.
A series of dust explosions in non-grain related industries in recent years prompted an October 21, 2009 OSHA proposal. The agency formally proposed rulemaking to develop a standard for combustible dust.
In January 2010, NAMA submitted comments in response to the OSHA proposal to incorporate National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards by reference to address combustible dust hazards. NAMA opposed this for multiple reasons, including the inevitable confusion that would result from the discrepancies between the various NFPA combustible dust-related standards, and the fact that NFPA standards have not been subjected to the public rulemaking process – a key component of the U.S. regulatory system. Additionally, as stated earlier, mills are already by two sets of standards. Read NAMA's comments in full.Last updated February 3, 2011
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