House Passes Bill to Prevent Dust Explosions

WASHINGTON – The House moved Wednesday to create comprehensive regulations to prevent dust explosions like the one that left 13 dead at the Imperial Sugar plant near Savannah, Ga.

The bill, passed by a 247 to 165 vote, still must be approved by the Senate and then signed into law by President Bush. Administration officials have recommended that Bush veto the measure.

The bill was triggered in part by the Feb. 7 accident at Imperial Sugar. More than 60 people were also injured in the explosion.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is investigating the incident, and preliminary findings suggest accumulated sugar dust ignited and caused a series of explosions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has regulations for dust hazards but no specific standard on combustible dust.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., would require OSHA to enact such standards. Both Miller and Barrow said OSHA and the Bush administration have done little to enforce current standards and protect workers.

“There’s no question that OSHA’s inaction reflects on the administration’s policy,” Barrow said after the vote. “That’s no way to govern.”

The bill requires OSHA to put interim standards in place within three months on such issues as cleaning practices and creating better evacuation plans.

OSHA would then have 18 months to finalize the standards and others that would require businesses to make much more intensive changes such as changing plant designs to help prevent explosions.

Bush administration officials said Tuesday they will urge the president to veto the bill because the current OSHA standards provide protections against hazardous dust.

The administration also said the bill allows insufficient time to develop and enact new regulations and does not seek enough input from businesses.

Republican lawmakers and some manufacturers and businesses echoed the administration’s view. Labor unions and Democrats have largely been in support of the bill.

Republicans attempted to amend the bill to prevent major changes to dust standards until after the Imperial Sugar factory investigation is complete.

“This is not the only opportunity to strengthen the standards for combustible dust,” said Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., who supported the bill, said before the vote it was a step in the right direction but he was concerned Congress might be acting too hastily.

“If you move too quickly, you might not get the goal you wanted,” he said.

Barrow said he’s hopeful the bill will become law eventually.

“I’m convinced this is going to happen someday,” he said.