Abstract
AN ACCUMULATION of airborne sugar dust led to a 2008 explosion and fire that killed 14 and injured 36 workers at the Imperial Sugar plant outside Savannah, Ga., says the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) in a report released last week. On the circumstances leading to the Feb. 7, 2008, accident, there is little disagreement between CSB and its frequent ally—labor unions that represent plant workers. But the two are deeply split over what should be done to avoid similar accidents. The accident’s cause was ignition of airborne sugar dust that had accumulated for years due to lousy maintenance and inadequate equipment design. A spark from an overheated conveyor bearing likely triggered the primary blast, which was quickly followed by more powerful secondary explosions and fires that ripped through the plant. Looking at company documents, the board finds a 40-year failure by Imperial to address dust problems, despite management’s knowledge that they ...
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