4.

The initial explosion lofted other dust in the plant into the air causing a secondary dust explosion and fire.
What can you do?
Do you have dust explosion hazards in your plant?
In August 2014 the United States Chemical Safety Board (CSB) reported the
results of an investigation of a December 2010 explosion in a titanium and zirconium
scrap metal processing facility in West Virginia. The explosion resulted in three
fatalities and one injury. Here is a brief summary of what is believed to have
happened:
1. A blender was being used to process zirconium powder. Employees had observed
mechanical problems before the explosion. Blender paddles were striking the
sidewall of the blender causing damage. Adjustments and repairs were made but
problems continued.
2. It is believed that sparks or heat from metal-to-metal contact between the blender
blades and the blender side ignited the zirconium powder.
3. The burning zirconium dust resulted in a deflagration - hot gases expanded,
producing a wind observed by two witnesses. The burning zirconium dust
ignited open drums of titanium and zirconium stored nearby, propagating the fire.
http://www.aiche.org/CCPS/Publications/Beacon/index.aspx
Messages for Manufacturing Personnel

AIChE 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction for non-commercial, educational purposes is encouraged. However, reproduction for any
commercial purpose without express written consent of AIChE is strictly prohibited. Contact us at ccps_beacon@aiche.org or 646-495-1371.
Dust Explosions - Clean up this Hazard!
The Beacon is usually available in Arabic, Afrikaans, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean,
Malay, Marathi, Farsi (Persian), Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
www.aiche.org/ccps
October 2014
This issue sponsored by
www.iomosaic.com
The CSB has investigated 9 serious combustible
dust incidents in the USA since 2003. These
explosions and fires caused a total of 36 fatalities
and 128 injuries. Five of these explosions involved
metal dusts, and three occurred in the same plant.
On August 2, 2014 an explosion in a plant in
Kunshan, China that manufactures aluminum
automobile wheels caused at least 75 fatalities and
180 injuries. Initial reports indicate that the incident
was an aluminum dust explosion.
Most solid organic materials, as well as plastic
powders and many metals, can create an explosive
cloud if the particles are small enough and
dispersed in the air at a sufficiently high
concentration.
More information about dust explosions can be
found in the following Beacons: 9/2003, 5/2006,
and 5/2008. You can view these at www.sache.org.
1
2
3
4
Note: All pictures are screen captures
from the US Chemical Safety Board video
describing the incident
(http://www.csb.gov/al-solutions-fatal-dust-
explosion/)
Did you know?
The CSB report identified many contributing causes for
this incident. Most were related to facility design, failure to
comply with dust explosion protection standards, and
management systems. But there are things that you can do as
a plant worker to prevent dust explosions.
Know whether or not you have any dust explosion hazards
in your plant, and what you must do to ensure proper
operation of your plants protective systems. US OSHA
has a useful poster with guidance on what kinds of
materials might be dust explosion hazards:
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/combustibledustposter.pdf
Recognize that good housekeeping is critically important
for dust explosion safety. Accumulated dust on equipment,
floors, and elevated surfaces such as lighting fixtures and
ceiling support beams can contribute to secondary dust
explosions.
Report any maintenance issues which could result in
sparking or overheating in any dust handling equipment,
and do not operate the equipment until it is repaired.
YES, if it is a fine powder or dust! Any material which canburn is
capable of causing a catastrophic dust explosion if it is suspended as a fine
dust or powder in air or other oxidizing atmosphere. On February7, 2008
there was a severe explosion in a sugar refinery near Savannah, Georgia,
USA. The explosion injured more than 30 people, and the death toll had
reached 13 as of the end of March 2008. The explosion is still being
investigated, and the detailed causes are not yet known. However, the initial
investigation indicates that this was a dust explosion.
Many people are not aware of the explosion hazard of many dusts and
fine powders. Some examples of materials which may be a dust explosion
hazard if present as a fine powder include almost any organic material -
grain flour, sugar, plastic, corn starch, pharmaceuticals. Powdered metals
such as aluminum and magnesium also present a dust explosion hazard.
Know the hazards of the materials in your plant!
May 2008
AIChE 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction for non-commercial, educational purposes is encouraged. However, reproduction
for the purpose of resale by anyone other than CCPS is strictly prohibited. Contact us at ccps_beacon@aiche.orgor 212-591-7319
Is sugar an explosion hazard?
Sponsored by Sponsored by
CCPS CCPS
Supporters Supporters
Do you know what conditions are necessary for a dust explosion?
http://www.aiche.org/CCPS/Publications/Beacon/index.aspx
Messages for Manufacturing Personnel
The Beacon is usually available in Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian,
Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Marathi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
The conditions needed for a dust explosion can be represented asa pentagon (see figure at left above):
FUEL The presence of a combustible dust. Particle size is important smaller particles are more likely to be both
ignitable and dispersible.
OXIDANT usually oxygen in the air, which is generally enough to support an explosion.
SUSPENSION The dust needs to be dispersed into the air. The dust may normally be dispersed in air in the process
equipment. In a building, this could be done by a large leak or spill, a small initial dust explosion, or any other disturbance
which could shake dust layers off of equipment or lift dust off of the floor.
IGNITION SOURCE Energy is required to ignite the mixture. This may be somethingwith as little energy as static
electricity or a stronger energy source such as an open flame or an electrical fault.
CONFINEMENT For example, the walls, ceilings, floors and roof of a buildingcreate confinement. Plant equipment
including process equipment, storage silos, dust collectors, andducting also creates confinement..
Sometimes an initial explosion occurs and lifts larger amounts of dust that may have accumulated in the plant and
disperses this dust into the air. This creates the conditions for a second, much larger explosion, which can be catastrophic.
A small amount of dust a layer as small as 1/32 inch (less than 1 mm) thick on exposedsurfaces can create an
explosive dust cloud once suspended. A dust layer can be considered to create a hazardous condition if it covers an area,
on all surfaces, greater than 5 % of the floor area of a room. How can you tell if there is too much dust? Two guidelines
which people have used are that there is too much dust accumulation (1) when you cannot tell the color of the equipment
or floor beneath the layer of dust, or (2) when you write your name in the dust and very slight ridges form at the edge of
the letters. Good housekeeping is a necessary safe work practicewhen dust hazards are concern. Other safe work
practices for dust include reducing static discharge potential through the use of grounding and bonding, proper electrical
area classification and equipment selection. If your plant handles potentially explosive dusts, make sure that you
understand the hazards, and all of the safe work practices and safety equipment needed for safe operations.
CCPS PSID
Members search
Dust Explosion