"welding torch ignited an aluminum dust and water mixture..."

For decades the accumulation of aluminium dust/fines was a housekeeping issue. Only after a series of explosions culminating with over 200 workers being killed did many in our industry finally acknowledge the hazard of aluminum fines. Here is a recent story:

Local fire officials said the cause of an explosion in September 2018 which injured two people at a metal tube manufacturer was accidental. A department spokesman said a welding torch ignited an aluminum dust and water mixture Wednesday at the company.

A similar-sounding incident happened there before.

According to the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, a 2005 explosion injured one employee. A summary of the company's OSHA compliance history includes the following description, "Employee started up a tube mill, which produces aluminum dust as part of the process and a fire started in the alumunizing box. The mill was shut down, the fire put out and when the system was restarted, the mill exploded, resulting in burns to an employee's face."

OSHA fined the company $12,400 after the incident. Part of the fine was for "not installing and maintaining the arc spray system and associated dust collection system on the tube mills to control the dust and prevent an explosion." Local fire officials say Wednesday's explosion "took place when a pipe welding torch ignited an aluminum dust and water mixture."

OSHA spokesman did not draw any comparison between this week's explosion and the one in 2005. Right now, the state OSHA is conducting an investigation into what happened in the most recent incident.

"We're going to inspect the work areas for safety and health hazards and try to determine what caused or contributed to the accident. And then review whether existing OSHA standards were violated."

OSHA inspectors have visited the plant seven times over a 13-year period and issued citations in all but one instance. One inspection involved a serious injury in 2015.

An official with the company has not returned a call for comment.

We pray that the injured workers recover fully from their burns. The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog has posted numerous incidents in the past involving welding torches and aluminium dust fires and explosions. The Aluminium Times magazine has posted numerous articles on good housekeeping and aluminium dust/fine hazards. All of the articles can be downloaded for no cost here.

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