SAVANNAH, GA. --- U.S. Reps. John Barrow, D-Ga., and George Miller, D-Calif., Monday announced legislation they say will help prevent combustible dust explosions like the one last month at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga, was scheduled to join Assistant Secretary of OSHA Ed Foulke for a briefing on the investigation at Imperial Sugar, where a Feb. 7 fire and explosion killed 12 workers and burned dozens more.

Also Monday, The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced they had filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor demanding an emergency standard for dust-hazard controls.

Mr. Miller, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said he'll hold a committee hearing on the work site risks of dust explosions March 12.

-- Morris News Service