A recent recommendation from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) highlights the important role ASSP consensus standards play in improving workplace safety.
Following its investigation of the 2023 explosions at a Dow facility in Plaquemine, Louisiana, the CSB issued a recommendation to the American Society of Safety Professionals to update ANSI/ASSP Z117.1, Safety Requirements for Entering Confined Spaces. The Board asked that the standard include additional guidance to help ensure vessels are properly prepared for safe startup after confined space entry work.
The recommendation follows the CSB’s investigation of the incident, which involved explosions and the release of ethylene oxide. During its review, the CSB identified opportunities to strengthen safety practices related to confined space work and equipment readiness.
Rather than recommending new regulations, the Board pointed directly to ASSP’s confined spaces standard as the appropriate place to address the issue. This recognition reflects the important role consensus standards play in advancing worker protection across industries.
ANSI/ASSP Z117.1 is one of the most widely recognized standards addressing confined space safety. It provides guidance used by safety professionals, employers and regulators to manage hazards associated with confined spaces, including atmospheric risks, mechanical hazards, and the potential for fires or explosions if equipment is not properly prepared.
Incident investigations often uncover insights that help strengthen industry guidance. In many cases, those lessons are incorporated into consensus standards so that safety practices continue to evolve and improve.
ASSP’s standards development process brings together subject matter experts from industry, government, labor and academia to review emerging issues and incorporate best practices into consensus standards. This collaborative approach helps ensure the standards remain practical, effective and grounded in real-world experience.
The CSB’s recommendation reflects the trust placed in the consensus standards system and the leadership role ASSP and its volunteers play in shaping workplace safety practices.
For the safety community, this is a clear example of how professional expertise helps translate lessons from real-world incidents into stronger safety guidance that benefits workers everywhere.
The Z117 Committee with ASSP’s support will review the recommendation through its established standards development process and work with stakeholders to determine the appropriate path forward.
Situations like this demonstrate how the consensus standards system works in practice. EHS professionals identify lessons from real-world incidents and translate them into stronger guidance that protects workers across industries.
You can learn more about the CSB investigation of the Dow incident on the CSB website.