(62c) Nothing to Sneeze at – Combustible Dust Hazard Process Safety

The US Chemical Safety Board combustible dust hazard study, OSHA's National Emphasis Program on combustible dusts, and the Imperial Sugar refinery explosion in February 2008, all serve as a catalyst prompting industry to address processes that handle combustible particulate solids. Unlike a prior instance involving grain handling facility explosions, the incidents behind these initiatives represent a broad cross-section of industry and a variety of combustible dust types. Yet no comprehensive solution has been forthcoming. NFPA voluntary, consensus standards form the most complete basis currently available for establishing combustible dust hazard process safe practices. Seven NFPA documents contain the dust-hazard specific requirements for agricultural and food processing dusts, combustible metals, wood processing and woodworking, sulfur, coal, and all other combustible dusts. These NFPA documents start with a hazard assessment that considers the facility, the process, and the associated fire and explosion hazards. Once identified by the process hazards analysis, the specific hazards are evaluated in order to determine the specific type and level of control measure required. This paper applies the relevant NFPA standards to some recent dust explosion incidents and highlights common problem areas within the agricultural and food processing industries.