Committee on Education and Labor - U.S. House of Representatives

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Homehearings › full committee Hearing on H.R. 5522, The Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008, 3/12/08

Full Committee Hearing: "H.R. 5522, The Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008"

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The Committee held a hearing on legislation to help prevent worksite explosions like the one at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, in early February 2008 that killed 12 workers and critically injured 11 others.

The Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act (H.R. 5522) would force the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts, like sugar dust, that can build up to hazardous levels and explode. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration already has the authority to issue such a rule without Congress passing new legislation, but the agency has failed to act despite the fact that the dangers of combustible dust have been well known for years.

U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and John Barrow (D-GA) introduced the legislation on March 4, 2008. To learn more about H.R. 5522, click here.

Click here to watch archived hearing webcast »

Chairman Miller's Opening Statement »

Witness Testimony:

The Honorable John Barrow »
Congressman
Twelfth Congressional District of Georgia

The Honorable Jack Kingston »
Congressman
First Congressional District of Georgia

The Honorable Edwin Foulke »
Assistant Secretary of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Tammy Miser »
Sister of Victim of a 2003 Combustible
Dust Explosion in Huntington, IN

Amy Spencer »
Senior Chemical Engineer
National Fire Protection Association

The Honorable Bill Wright »
Interim Chair
U.S. Chemical Safety and
Hazard Investigation Board

David Sarvadi »
Attorney
Keller and Heckman


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