Washington, DC, January 28, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has announced a public meeting in London, Kentucky, on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. at the London Community Center. At the meeting, the Board will review and consider the final CSB staff report on the fatal dust explosion at CTA Acoustics in Corbin, Kentucky.
The explosion and fire occurred on February 20, 2003, at the CTA facility, which produced acoustic fiberglass insulation for the automotive industry. Seven workers were fatally injured when accumulated resin dust was ignited by flames from a malfunctioning oven. Since that time, the CSB has been investigating the accident to determine root causes and develop new safety recommendations.
CSB investigators will present the Board with an analysis of the incident, a discussion of the key findings, root and contributing causes, and draft recommendations. There will be an opportunity for public comment after the staff presentations. Following the conclusion of the comment period, the Board is expected to vote on approval of the investigation report. This meeting is open to the public, and there are no fees or registration requirements to attend. The London Community Center is located at 529 South Main Street in London.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in safety management systems.
The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Further information about the CSB is available from www.csb.gov.
For more information, contact Kara Wenzel, CSB 202-261-7642 / 202-577-8448 (cell), or Daniel Horowitz, 202-261-7613 / 202-441-6074 (cell).