The May 2017 blast at Didion’s Cambria facility left five workers dead and seriously injured 14 others.
In addition to the fatalities of Duelle Block, Robert Goodenow, Carlos “Charly” Nuñez Contreras, Angel Reyes and Pawel Tordoff and the injuries of the other workers, the facility ended up destroyed, resulting in over $15 million in property damage, three executives ended up sentenced to prison and the company agreed to pay $1.8 million in penalties.
CSB issued the nine recommendations to Didion in December 2023, when the agency released its final report on the incident.
Recommendations
The nine recommendations included:
- Contract a competent third party to develop a comprehensive combustible dust process safety management system.
- Contract a competent third party to develop and implement modifications to the pneumatic conveying and dust collector ductwork systems in accordance with guidance such as NFPA 61, NFPA 652, and NFPA 654.
- Contract a competent third party to perform dust hazard analyses (DHAs) on all buildings and units that process combustible dust.
- Contract a competent third party to assess and implement engineering controls for the structural design and venting requirements of the reconstructed facility to ensure they meet the requirements and guidance in NFPA 68.
- Incorporate recording any paper-based process safety information into Didion’s existing electronic records management system so the information can end up reliably retained, retrieved, and analyzed in the event of a catastrophic incident.
- Contract a competent third party to perform personal protective equipment hazard analyses, such as those prescribed by NFPA 2113.
- Contract a competent third party to update the facility emergency response plan and train all employees on updated emergency response plan.
- Contract a competent third party to assess and update the pre-deflagration detection and suppression engineering controls, such as those discussed in Chapter 9 of the 2019 edition of NFPA 69.
- Contract a competent third party to develop and implement a process safety leadership and culture program.
At the onset, however, Didion was not initially responsive to the CSB. After certain actions by the CSB last year, Didion worked cooperatively with the agency since August 2025 to implement the recommendations and provide the CSB with documentation demonstrating all nine of the recommendations have been satisfactorily implemented.
Safer Work Environment
In implementing the CSB’s recommendations, Didion has:
- Developed a comprehensive combustible dust management program including addressing safety leadership and culture
- Ensured the effective design, construction, and maintenance of the company’s combustible dust handling equipment, including the building which houses such equipment, through dust hazard analysis supported by industry experts
- Installed engineered safeguards commensurate with the combustible dust hazards of the Cambria facility
- Made improvements in the company’s continuity of operations program, emergency response plan, and personal protective equipment program
“The CSB recognizes Didion’s effort over the last year to engage with the agency and implement the recommendations we made to improve safety at the company’s facility,” said CSB Chairperson Steve Owens. “The CSB’s recommendations intend to prevent recurrence of the kind of deadly incident that occurred in May 2017, or at the very least minimize the consequences of such of a terrible event.”