Jan 04

OSHA Dust Classifications and Industrial Vacuum Systems

Posted on January 4, 2014 by DeMarco Vacuums

The health and safety issue of combustible dusts reached its apex back in 2009, when the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) released their National Emphasis Program NEP on combustible dust. The NEP was released in order to focus attention on the agency’s efforts to mitigate dust-related explosions. Part of the NEP standard 1910.307(b) posted stipulations about the use of electric industrial vacuums in areas where combustible dust accumulates. This standard is defined by NFPA 70 from the National Electrical Code.

An explosion proof industrial vacuum / dust ignition proof vacuum or a combustible dust safe pneumatic industrial vacuum should meet requirements for use in the OSHA dust classifications of: Class 1, Group D and Class II, Groups E, F, and G.

For more information on industrial vacuum filters, including how to select the right media for the material you are picking up, please contact us or visit the DEMARCO Vacuum Accessories page.

Summary of Class I, II, III Hazardous Locations*
CLASSES	GROUPS	DIVISIONS
CLASSES	GROUPS	1	2
I Gases, vapors, and liquids (Art. 501)	A: Acetylene B: Hydrogen, etc. C: Ether, etc. D: Hydrocarbons, fuels, solvents, etc.	Normally explosive and hazardous	Not normally present in an explosive concentration (but may accidentally exist)
II Dusts (Art. 502)	E: Metal dusts (conductive,^and explosive) F: Carbon dusts (some are conductive,^and all are explosive) G: Flour, starch, grain, combustible plastic or chemical dust (explosive)	Ignitable quantities of dust normally are or may be in suspension, or conductive dust may be present	Dust not normally suspended in an ignitable concentration (but may accidentally exist). Dust layers are present.
III Fibers and flyings (Art. 503)	Textiles, wood-working, etc. (easily ignitable, but not likely to be explosive)	Handled or used in manufacturing	Stored or handled in storage (exclusive of manufacturing)

These industrial vacuums should include vacuum features such as motor, switches, filters, and inner chambers that are designed specifically for use in combustible dust applications or situations. In addition, an explosion proof vacuum should have a graduated filtration system that traps and keeps the combustible dust particles from moving out of the equipment back into the air. A HEPA filter is most often used in order to clean the exhaust of the vacuum. High quality HEPA filters provide a strong defense for prevention of small dust particles escaping back out into the air.

For companies that must regularly handle the removal of combustible dust, an explosion proof industrial vacuum is a smart investment. Before purchasing, however, research is a must – ensuring the right machine is matched to each specific situation. When matched properly, the right machine can be matched to the needs of the company in question, ensuring proper plant safety.

Nov 12

Be Aware of OSHA Guidelines for Combustible Dust Mitigation

Posted on November 12, 2013 by DeMarco Vacuums

Be Aware of OSHA Guidelines for Combustible Dust Mitigation One of the worst-case scenarios for a business owner is an industrial accident causing property damage or personal injury to workers. One possibility could be an industrial accident caused by combustible dust, or tiny airborne particulates that can suddenly explode under the particular circumstances.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) defines combustible dust as: “Any finely divided solid material that is 420 microns or smaller in diameter (material passing a U.S. No. 40 Standard Sieve) and presents a fire or explosion hazard when dispersed and ignited in air.” Some typically well-known sources of combustible dust include: wheat grain, powdered sugar, lactose, powdered aluminum, and plastic resins.

As leaders in industrial hazard mitigation, we’ve been championing the practice of routine dust removal by vacuuming for years. Recently, in this space, we’ve even been blogging about the subject to get the word out. Here are a few examples:

The threat of a combustible dust accident is so alarming that the U.S. government has also gone to great lengths to educate the private sector about ways that businesses can mitigate the risks of one occurring. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued very detailed guidelines for combustible dust mitigation.

The latest Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB 07-31-2005) from OSHA on combustible dust, “Combustible Dust in Industry: Preventing and Mitigating the Effects of Fire and Explosions,” lays out the agency’s oversight scope in the regulation of combustible dust in the workplace. It states in part: “This Safety and Health Information Bulletin is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations … Pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers must comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan … Employers can be cited for violating the General Duty Clause if there is a recognized hazard and they do not take reasonable steps to prevent or abate the hazard.”

To help our customers understand the ramifications of the OSHA standards, we’ve put together an e-book that offers you a detailed overview of them, called Meeting OSHA Recommendations for Combustible Dust. We hope it will answer many of the questions you may have on this important topic.

Want to learn more about OSHA Guidelines?

Oct 28

Diligence and a Clean Workplace Prevented Larger Explosion

Posted on October 28, 2013 by DeMarco Vacuums

Diligence and a Clean Workplace Prevented Larger Explosion An explosion that injured a worker in a British Columbia sawmill in July could have had much more devastating results if it weren’t for the facility’s diligence in cleaning combustible dust, the mill owner said.

The incident, which sent a worker to the hospital with minor burns, occurred within a planer blower pipe being used to transport dry wood shavings into a cyclone located in a smaller building outside the facility.

“It was a primary blast contained within the pipe, and that’s all there was to the chain of events in this incident,” Bill Kordyban, president of Carrier Lumber, told the newspaper the Prince George Citizen.

A primary episode can disturb fine dust that has accumulated in hard-to-reach areas such as rafters, which can cause a secondary explosion once airborne. Kordyban credited regular daily and weekly wood dust cleanup with helping prevent a more-harmful secondary dust explosion at the company’s Prince George sawmill.

“The building is clean, so there was no secondary incident,” Kordyban said.

In addition to regular daily wood dust cleanup, crews clean wood dust from hard-to-reach spots when the mill is shut down for weekly maintenance.

“[Keeping the mill clear of dust] is very high on our priority list. So, of course for this to happen, it’s very frustrating,” Kordyban said in a Vancouver Sun report. “But I guess if there is a silver lining, it’s there was absolutely no secondary explosion, which is the one that seems to be the bad one.”

The last wood-dust inspection report for Carrier Lumber, seven months prior, showed combustible wood dust levels were below permissible levels.