After Georgia blast, problems found at Imperial Sugar's La. plant

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/5627218.html

By CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press Writer
© 2008 The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — More than a month after an explosion killed 13 workers at its Georgia sugar refinery, the Imperial Sugar Co. has shut down a section of its Louisiana plant out of concern for combustible dust.

Imperial said it closed down its powdered sugar operations at its Gramercy facility on Friday after inspectors with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found potentially combustible dust there.

"There was a very thick dust level," said Edwin G. Foulke Jr., the assistant secretary of Labor for OSHA. The dust, he said, caused an "imminent danger situation."

Experts believe the Feb. 7 blast at Imperial's Georgia refinery outside Savannah was caused by ignited dust. The disaster has prompted OSHA to inspect hundreds of plants where combustible dust is a workplace hazard.

On Friday, OSHA posted a notice warning workers at the Gramercy plant of the "imminent danger."

"The company agreed to withdraw the employees and deactivate the equipment" for dust removal and cleanup, Foulke said. He said it would probably take several days to clean up the dust.

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