Industrial Fire Prevention

This story from Bill Esler at woodworkingnetwork.com, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Prof. George Huber provides a simplified explanation of wood saw dust to fuel conversion using "rapid catalytic pyrolysis technology technology" in the lab. Converting wood saw dust to gasoline Anellotech licensed "rapid catalytic pyrolysis technology" from University of Massachusetts Amherst that could make competitive fuels with petroleum-based counterparts like gasoline even at $35 per barrel of oil, less than half the current price. Read more about saw dust to fuel conversion

 From Safety Online. OSHA 10 Hour Safety Training-Now You Can Cut Your Risk Of OSHA OSHA compliance management can be a very tough act.However,there are still some industries that consistently manage to have fewer violations.Now you can achieve this with the help of the OSHA Safety Training Courses. Many companies have been penalized for not being able to comply with the safety and health standards, rules and regulations set up by OSHA. Now you can cut those risks with OSHA 10 Hour safety Training Courses. Present below is a glimpse into how these companies and industries really excel at OSHA safety compliance. This list mainly highlights the common denominators that organizations with the fewest health and safety violations have: Hazard correction and elimination: Another important point that's equally significant after locating and assessing hazards is that successful organizations fix them in a timely, systematic and orderly fashion. Although the primary purpos...

From the The OH&S Wire blog archive, here is an interesting take on OSHA enforcement. Blog archive In a June 2009 speech at the American Society of Safety Engineers' annual conference, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said: "There is a new sheriff in town.... Make no mistake about it; the Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business. We are serious, very serious." And true to her word, Solis dispatched her new SWAT teams to show that she means business. The new sheriff's activities are further evidenced by the majority of news releases issued under OSHA's new leadership: enforcement reports with company names, a list of violations, and proposed monetary penalties. Click on the title above to read the rest of the story. You can also follow our lively discussion on the Linkedin ComDust group page.

Grain elevator had prior explosion in 2008 which caused much more damage and a worker injury. CEO notes that explosion protection best engineering practices lessened the severity of this recent explosion. This incident is a prime example of how ComDust incidents will continue to occur and only the probability and severity can be reduced through best engineering practices and controls. "Explosion vents on the elevator legs and roofs released the brunt of the impact", said fire chief and All Points vice-president of agronomy Mark Ballmer. **I saw this originally on the Combustible Dust Policy Institute blog, and wanted to re-post it here to point out the importance of safety systems such as Explosion Venting and Explosion Protection-

Fine dust buildup at Winnipeg feed-processing operation " It's believed a spark from the machinery inside the hopper ignited the blaze, which is burning in the feed residue that had been encrusted along the walls of the bin." Prior fire several days earlier causing an estimated $20,000 damage. Winnipeg Free Press Many other manufacturing facilities have similiar process situations (ignition sources) where either a spark or spontaneous ignition can ignite the process materials causing a combustible dust related fire. Good housekeeping and maintenance is essential in removing the buildup of combustible dust or residue. Without the fuel, a combustible dust related fire will not occur. **Spark Detection & Extinguishing Systems, Housekeeping, and Maintenance are keys to helping prevent combustible dust fires and explosions in the process industries-

From Chem.info: Recycling Plant Explosion caught on film. Recycling Plant Explosion Caught on Film CCTV footage of the blast at the Sterecycle recycling plant in England, which killed one man and left another fighting for life …  continue

Improving Your Machine Safety Program -- Occupational Health & Safety Shift the focus from avoiding negative outcomes to achieving positive results. From Steve Ludwig, Mary Joann Thurman writing in OHS. Understand that safety should be considered a sustainable business practice, much like product quality, because a single significant failure can dramatically affect production costs, and significantly change customer and investor perceptions of your company. Realize that automation technology, including safety systems, can deliver positive, business-enhancing benefits while mitigating risks and reducing costs.

Better Identification of Fire Hazards Needed -- Occupational Health & Safety In this article from the OSHA On-line and OHS Occupation Health & Safety site, John Astad of the Combustible Dust Policy Institute discusses that NFIRS 5.0 incident reporting system. John has done excellent research on NFIRS the National Fire Incident Reporting System. This article explains why we need to improve the reporting framework for NFIRS, and how that will help all stakeholders including safety professionals, firemen and local code enforcement better understand the causes of and prevention of industrial process fires and explosions. Better Identification of Fire Hazards Needed Stakeholders seeking control measures to minimize the probability and severity of combustible dust incidents should work more closely with the fire service. By John Astad Jan 01, 2011 Combustible dust-related fires occur with alarming regularity throughout the manufacturing, non-manufacturing, and...