Are You at Risk from Combustible Dusts? Part 1

Part 1 of 2: Five Steps to Reducing Your Industrial Explosion Risk

By a Business Development Representative, Ahern Fire Protection-Special Hazards

Did you know that the vast majority of dust generated during industrial manufacturing processes is combustible? Many facility managers are surprised to learn that materials appearing stable in their raw form can become highly explosive once they are processed into fine particles. Schedule a dust hazard assessment at J.F. Ahern to make sure your facility is safe.

To understand your level of risk, you must first look at the base elements of the products you handle. If your raw materials are organic or carbonaceous, there is a high probability that the dust created during production is combustible. Unless professional dust testing has proven otherwise, the safest approach is to assume your dust accumulation poses a fire or explosion hazard.

Step 1: Get a Sample for Dust Testing

The first step in any safety plan is verification. You cannot manage a risk you haven’t defined. Collecting a sample for professional lab testing will confirm whether your specific dust is combustible and how easily it might ignite.

Step 2: Identify the Hazards in Your Facility

Once you understand the nature of your dust, it’s time to perform a walk-through of your plant. As you examine your facility, identify any area where fine particles are present — whether they are your primary product, a raw material waiting to be processed, or a simple byproduct of production.

There are five specific elements, together known as the Dust Explosion Pentagon, that must be present to create an industrial explosion risk:

1. Combustible Dust, which is what’s going to burn.
2. Oxygen, which is what’s going to keep it burning.
3. Ignition Source, which is what’s going to start the burn.
4. Dispersion, which is what’s going to spread it throughout the air.
5. Confinement, which is something for the pressure to build up in.

If the dust in your facility is combustible and is then subjected to these other four items, your facility is at risk of an explosion. It is a common mistake to think explosions only happen inside small machines or ductwork. You must look at the bigger picture. If enough dust is allowed to accumulate on overhead rafters, light fixtures, or equipment, a small event can shake that dust into the air. In this scenario, the building itself becomes the confinement, trapped by four walls and a roof, leading to a catastrophic structural event.

Step 3: Assess the Potential Ramifications

With your list of hazards in hand, gather your leadership team to discuss the “what if” scenarios. Ask the difficult questions about the potential impact on your business:

• Would personnel be injured or lives lost?
• Would your facility or critical production processes be rendered inoperable?
• What would the long-term recovery look like for your brand and operations?

By walking through these discussions now, you can prioritize the safety measures necessary to protect your people and your property. Once you work through this discussion, you can move on to Part 2 for Steps 4 & 5.

Remember to contact Ahern today to speak with our industrial fire protection experts about dust testing your facility.