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Inspection triggers shutdown of part of Imperial Sugar plant in Louisiana
Mar 18, 2008 (Savannah Morning News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Imperial Sugar Co. has closed the powdered sugar area of its Gramercy, La., refinery after federal inspectors said they found deadly hazards there.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday that it discovered a buildup of combustible sugar dust in the area.
Investigators think such a buildup helped cause a Feb. 7 explosion and fire that killed 13 people at Imperial's Port Wentworth refinery.
Assistant Secretary of Labor Edwin Foulke Jr. said a "serious accident that might result in death or severe physical harm" was likely at the Gramercy plant.
Foulke said the inspection was part of an OSHA program, begun in October, to focus on plants with a high risk of combustible dust explosions.
In the wake of the Port Wentworth disaster, OSHA faces pressure to adopt tougher combustible dust standards.
At least 280 dust explosions have occurred since 1980, and such blasts killed 119 people between 1980 and 1995, according to a 2006 federal report. Five of the explosions involved sugar plants.
But Foulke stressed that the Gramercy plant was inspected under existing rules, which he has said can deal effectively with explosion risks.
He stopped short of saying the company will be cited or fined, but added that "clearly we identified some potential violations."
Imperial Sugar said it decided voluntarily to shut down operations in the powdered sugar area.
The company said it's working with OSHA and "third-party experts to ensure that the area is safe for Imperial Sugar employees."
"The observations and recommendations by OSHA inspectors have been helpful to our pursuit to develop improved practices for sugar dust management," said Imperial Sugar President John Sheptor.
Foulke said the investigation is continuing and that a combustible sugar dust expert has been sent to Gramercy to help.
OSHA spokeswoman Sharon Worthy said the agency found that an "imminent danger" exists at the Louisiana plant.
That means Imperial must devise and implement a plan to remove combustible dust and stop future buildup, Worthy said.
Imperial Sugar spokesman Steve Behm said he doesn't know how long the powdered sugar area will remain shut down.
Behm said it accounts for about 6 percent of the plant's production and that "four or five" people have been working there per shift. Recently, he added, there have been three shifts a day.
About 275 employees and 100 contractors work at the plant, Behm said.
Meanwhile, OSHA's investigation of the Port Wentworth fire is continuing and, according to recent statements by Foulke, might take months.
Last week, U.S. Reps. George Miller of California and John Barrow, a Savannah Democrat, criticized OSHA for not adopting tougher dust rules.
Miller and Barrow are pushing a bill that would require OSHA to do so. The state already has adopted more stringent regulations.
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