AIHA Backs Combustible Dust Bill
The American Industrial Hygiene Association's president has sent a letter to U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., expressing support for HR 849, a bill that would require OSHA to issue a standard governing workers' exposure to combustible dusts. AIHA President Lindsay Booher made two specific comments in his letter, one of which asked Miller's committee to "seriously determine whether or not it is possible for OSHA to promulgate a final standard within 18 months of enactment of the legislation."
The other comment was to add this additional requirement to the bill: "Requirements for the periodic inspection and maintenance of engineering controls and equipment, recordkeeping of the results of the inspections, and correction of any problems found during the inspections within a reasonable time."
Booher wrote that he hopes the bill "will be the starting point for further debate and action on combustible dust."