Didion Milling implements all nine CSB recommendations

The CSB today said Didion Milling, Inc. has implemented all nine safety recommendations issued by the CSB following its investigation of the fatal May 2017 explosion at Didion’s Cambria, Wisconsin, facility.

The explosion killed five employees and seriously injured 14 others.

“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. The CSB’s recommendations are intended 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.”

— Steve Owens, CSB Chairperson

Engineering & administrative controls implemented

The CSB issued nine recommendations to Didion in December 2023, when the agency released its final report on the incident. Didion was not initially responsive to the CSB.

However, 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 that all nine were satisfactorily implemented.

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 where such equipment is located, 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 PPE program