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H.R. 5522: Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008

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H.R. 5522: Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-03-04 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-03-04 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 4 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 230 (2008): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR5522 (2008-04-30), Agreed to. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008

Plain summary

Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary of Labor, within 90 days, to promulgate an interim final standard regulating combustible dusts, which shall apply to manufacturing, processing, blending, conveying, repackaging, and handling of combustible particulate solids and their dusts (including organic dusts, plastics, sulfur, wood, rubber, furniture, textiles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, fibers, dyes, coal, metals, and fossil fuels), but shall not apply to processes already covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) standard on grain facilities. Requires such standard to provide requirements for: (1) a hazard assessment to identify, evaluate, and control combustible dust hazards; (2) a written program that includes provisions for hazardous dust inspection, testing, hot work, ignition control, and housekeeping, including the frequency and methods used to minimize accumulations of combustible dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces; (3) engineering (which requirements shall be effective six months after the date on which the interim standard is issued), administrative controls and operating procedures, such as means to control fugitive dust emissions and ignition sources, the safe use and maintenance of dust producing and dust collection systems and filters, minimizing horizontal surfaces where dust can accumulate, and sealing of areas inaccessible to housekeeping; (4) housekeeping to prevent accumulation of combustible dust in places of employment in depths that can present explosion, deflagration, or other fire hazards, including safe methods of dust removal; (5) employee participation in hazard assessment, development of and compliance with the written program, and other elements of hazard management; and (6) providing safety and health information and annual training to employees, including housekeeping procedures, hot work procedures, preventive maintenance procedures, common ignition sources, and lock-out, tag-out procedures. Provides an exemption from otherwise applicable rulemaking requirements for the interim standard but not for the final standard. Provides that such interim standard shall have the legal effect of an occupational safety and health standard and shall apply until a final standard becomes effective. Requires the Secretary of Labor, within 18 months, to promulgate a final occupational safety and health standard regulating combustible dust explosions that has the same scope and worker protection provisions as the interim rule and provides requirements for: (1) managing change of dust producing materials, technology, equipment, staffing, and procedures; (2) building design such as explosion venting, ducting, and sprinklers; and (3) explosion protection, including separation and segregation of the hazard. Requires the final rule to include relevant and appropriate provisions of the National Fire Protection Association combustible dust standards. (Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to revise the hazard communications standard to amend the definition of "physical hazard" to include "a combustible dust" as an additional example of such a hazard.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7] · 32 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5522, Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008 (2008-04-17); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5522, Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008 (2008-04-17)

Cosponsors on this site

Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Exemption
A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr5522 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110