Industrial Fire Prevention

This story is a good example of the result in being proactive in preventing dust collector fires! The fire was extinguished before the fire department arrived.  The result - no injuries, minimal down time, fire department goodwill, and preserved reputation in industry and the community. (Note however, that we were not involved in the protection of this particular plant) Fire suppression system douses fire at power plant in Kenosh fox6now.com A fire at the power plant in Pleasant Prairie in Kenosha County was knocked down by a fire suppression system. This, according to officials with We Energies. More... ( Industry News )

NADCA's Free Online Training Could Save Lives Due to recent tragedy involving a fire fighter, the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) is urging manufacturers to take advantage of its free online training on combustible dust hazards. Volunteer firefighter, Steven Koeser, of St. Anna, WI, U.S. lost his life on December 30, 2009 due to an explosion that occurred from pouring water into a dumpster at a local foundry. “Management in metalcasting operations around the country needs to continually train their employees and their local firefighters on the proper way to fight a foundry fire. Education is key to saving lives and protecting people from debilitating injuries,” says Daniel L. Twarog, NADCA president. NADCA offers free online training on Combustible Dust hazards as well as Metal Melting and Handling, which can be found at www.diecasting.org/training. As a die casting industry, NADCA believes it is imperative to educate not only employees but also those who may c...

Our friends at Occupational Health and Safety have also raised the issue of Combustible Dust on their website. Combustible Dust Raises Explosive Issues -- Occupational Health ... Employees and managers should be trained to recognize and prevent combustible dust fires, and facilities should have a damage control plan that includes ...

Here is a good article from our friends at Safety Daily Advisor on fire hazards in the workplace.  Many times while touring plants I  notice many of the common fire hazard issues listed in this article, especially layers of combustible dust on the ground and on machinery, along with other combustible materials and ignition sources. On an average day, there are more than 200 workplace fires in this country. Annually, those fires kill hundreds of workers, injure many thousands more, and cost American businesses billions of dollars in damage and lost productivity. Unfortunately, there are dozens of ways workplace fires can start. You have to be on top of potential fire hazards all the time to make sure that your facility doesn't become part of the statistics. 8 Common Fire Hazards A successful fire prevention program begins with identifying all potential fire hazards. Here's a list of the most common (you may have others to add to the list): Scrap and trash. When waste ...

Different sources report that 70 - 80% of process dust and fines are combustible, depending on the process and material variables.  Keys are understanding your process hazards, the combustibility of your material and fines.  But remember, processes are not static. Processes and materials change over time.  Education, hazard awareness, testing, training, process design, controls, maintenance, housekeeping, policies and procedures are keys to long term process safety. OSHA's Chemical Plant PSM National Emphasis Program (NEP) has ARRIVED!!! CSB Releases New Safety Video “Combustible Dust: An Insidious Hazard” New OSHA document discusses combustible dust hazards