Industrial Fire Prevention

Ducking Disaster By Elevating Safety 7th November 2022 Online Editor Bucket elevators are found in many industries, both inside and outside of plants Explosion protection systems play a key role in keeping bucket elevators operating safely Keep your bucket elevators safe against combustible dust explosions, cautions Filip Ďurica Bucket elevators and other vertical conveyors are part of the agriculture and grain industries and many other industries. They can be installed outside, inside or both, thanks to their d...

 From Powder and Bulk Solids and Rembe The Who, What, When, and Why of Dust Hazards Analysis Image courtesy of REMBE Inc. REMBE’s Jeramy Slaunwhite explains the ins and outs of DHAs and how they help operators address and manage hazards. Jeramy Slaunwhite P.Eng, Senior Explosion Safety Engineer, REMBE Inc. | Sep 20, 2022 Many industrial facilities handle combustible particulate material which pose fire and explosion hazards. Managing combustible dust hazards is critical to ensure the safety of the plant personnel and operations. In order to effectively manage combustible dust hazards they must first be identified and understood. A dust hazards analysis, or DHA, is a systematic review and assessment of a process and/or facility led by someone with knowledge and experience in understanding and identifying combustible dust hazards. A DHA is a tool to help plant managers and operators address and manage hazards that may not have been otherwise obvious....

How to keep from blowing up and burning down your wood processing operation From our friends at Canadian Forest Industries June 24, 2021 By Jeffrey C. Nichols     Combustible explosion. Photo courtesy Fagus GreCon   “You know you are making fuel , right?” This is a question I often found myself asking as new wood pellet and biomass plants started sprouting up all over the United States and Canada. I didn’t say this to be rude, but to point out potential combustible dust and ignition issues. For decades, we have been making wood flour in the forest products, wood and secondary wood products sectors, especially in the MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and other related industries. Yet there seemed to be little technology transfer, especially when it comes to engineering controls for fire and explosion prevention and protection. Every engineering firm and large eq...

    We all know that safety in the workplace begins with quality training and education. While this has been the topic of many  recent debates , there is no hiding the fact that it is the cornerstone to getting it right the first time around. Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted some research to determine what safety violations are topping the charts this year. They used this information to create what they called a "Blueprint for keeping workers safe", as it aided in keeping workers information and empowered to take control of their safety. Among the results were Electrical Wiring Methods at Number 10, Ladders at Number 6 and the top three being Fall Protection - General Requirements, Hazard Communication and Scaffolding respectively. OSHA also took this time to reiterate that, "When we all work together to address hazards, we can do the best job possible to ensure employees go home safely each day". The final report is ...

How to keep from blowing up and burning down your wood pelleting operation. “You know you are making fuel, right?” This is a question I often found myself asking as new wood pellet and biomass plants started sprouting up all over the Midwest, Northeastern States, and Canada, but especially here in the Southeast United States. And I didn’t say this to be rude, but to point out potential combustible dust and ignition issues. We have been making wood flour in North America for decades in the forest products, wood products, secondary wood products, and especially in the MDF Medium Density Fiberboard and other related industries. Yet there seemed to be little technology transfer. Especially in fire and explosion prevention and protection. Every engineering firm and large equipment manufacturer seemed to think they could build a wood pellet plant better than the last. So, naturally many of the designs are different. Some are efficient, some not so much. Some are built w...

From WoodworkingNetwork.com How to Prevent Comdust Combustible Sawdust - How to Protect Your Workers Your Business Posted: 04/01/2015 4:04PM EDITOR’S NOTE: This information was presented in the webcast “Combustible Sawdust - How to Protect Your Workers Your Business,” which broadcast in March. Presented by Air Handling’s Jamison Scott, and sponsored by GreCon, the full webcast can be heard on-demand at WoodworkingNetwork.com/webcasts .  Combustible dust continues to make headlines. One of the top health and safety issues in the woodworking industry, it impacts companies of all sizes. OSHA defines combustible dust as “fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in the air, in certain conditions.” For a combustible dust explosion to occur, five factors must be present: fuel (combustible dust), ignition (heat or spark), oxygen (air), dispersion (dust suspension) and confinement.  Removal of any ...