Monday 28 May 2018

Methods Of Preventing Combustible Dust Explosions

By Douglas Stone


Different plants have different residues depending on what they are manufacturing. There are companies whose main residue is dust. These include powder processing companies, aw milling plant among many others. This powder may be harmful if not well handled. The article below discusses combustible dust explosions.

The first step is to identify whether or not the dirt being produced is combustible. This is the first step towards determining how to go about such a situation. Combustible powder forms in areas of the factory where materials are transferred in large masses. After concluding the type of powder you have, you can get the necessary equipment.

When a person is working for your company, their safety is in your hands. Any kind of predicament they may face you will have to incur the cost. Of course, most employees have insurance, but it is best to avoid using it. When they take up the job, you should inform them of the risks involved. Tell them how to go about the event of an emergency.

Make sure that the plant is cleaned regularly. It is normal for the dirt to settle every time the plant is at work. The secret is not to let it accumulate. If there is no dust, there will be no explosion. Regular cleaning is one of the best methods of avoiding explosions. Make sure that all the hard to reach places are cleaned as dirt is most likely to settle there.

Come up with aa routine or a way of ensuring that the place was actually cleaned. It is not unheard of employees pretending to clean up and after a while, the disaster you were trying to avert hits you with the worst possible effects. Sets aside some managers or a group of employees to inspect and confirm that the place is powder free.

The method of cleaning should not add danger to the already dangerous situation. This means that you should try as much as possible to avoid a method that would leave small clouds of powder in the air. If enough powder gets saturated in the air, it will not be so hard to start an explosion. Make sure this especially happen near sources of heat.

Make sure that the ignition points in the plant are as minimal as possible. The ones that are not in use can be completely gotten rid of. You should also put up no smoking signs because some people may be ignorant and lead to the end of the company. Make sure the ignition points are cleared of powder even more regularly than other places.

Use vacuums classified for class 2. This will go a long way in saving your plant from permanent damage. The normally sized vacuums are not well suited to handle the amount of powder emitted in a whole plant. If you try them out, they may break down, overheat and even end up sparking up the place on their own thus a catastrophic outcome.




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