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2190 North Norcross Tucker Road, Suite 202 | Norcross, GA 30071
Many materials generated during manufacturing processes may look harmless when they settle on equipment, floors, ductwork, or overhead surfaces. But under the right conditions, fine particulate solids can create serious fire and explosion risks. Understanding combustible dust testing parameters is a critical first step in identifying combustible dust hazards and developing a defensible safety strategy.
Continue reading “Understanding the Key Combustible Dust Testing Parameters”
Hazardous area classification is the process of identifying where flammable gases and vapors, combustible dusts, or ignitable fibers can exist at high enough concentrations to ignite or explode. It is commonly used to determine the appropriate electrical fixtures that are required to be installed within the process areas, per NFPA 70 – National Electric Code. Various systems are used nationally and internationally to categorize these environments and ensure safe electrical equipment installation. In all cases, area classification principles guide how locations are assessed and equipment is selected. Continue reading “Hazardous Area Classification Explained: Class, Division, and Zone Systems”
Conversion Technology Inc. (CTI) is an environmental, health, and safety (EHS) Consulting firm located in Norcross, GA. We have been in business since 1986 working with clients across all industries.
CTI specializes in maintaining sawmills in compliance with Environmental and Safety rules and regulations. The following is a partial list of consulting services that we provide to our sawmill clients: Continue reading “Maintaining Sawmills in Compliance with Environmental and Safety Rules and Regulations”
In the past, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued several consensus standards governing the storage, handling, and generation of combustible particulates, along with many other Fire Safety documents. Recently the hard work of committees spanning the different combustible dust standards have fruited a new standard, NFPA 660 – Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids. The effective date of the standard was December 6, 2024.
NFPA 660 was written to consolidate the requirements and guidance from the following standards: Continue reading “The New Combustible Dust Standard is Here – NFPA 660”
Check out the Dust Safety Science Podcast featuring our Director of Engineering, Adam Haroz. The podcast covers the importance of grounding and bonding including hazards, deficiencies, and requirements for static discharges and bonding/grounding in Combustible Dust environments.
A major change is coming to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards regarding combustible dusts. Many of you have utilized the NFPA standards in the past. The combustible dust standards are in place to provide guidance on ways to identify materials that may pose fire and explosion hazards, determine where and when these hazards might occur, identify and review safeguards needed to prevent injury to personnel and damage to equipment and property, and to track the progress for improving these safeguards.
Continue reading “Combustible Dust Standards Are Undergoing a Massive Revision (NFPA 660)”
CTI has partnered with RoboVent to create expert resources for the learning and decisions made regarding combustible dust, and fire/explosion protection. Be on the lookout for more content as CTI and Robovent continue to partner on this topic.
By now most companies and people throughout the manufacturing sector have heard of Combustible Dust as it has become a widely discussed topic. As a review, combustible dust fires and explosions are caused when a combustible atmosphere of dust, or a layer of flammable solids, is introduce to an ignition source. This can be demonstrated by the fire triangle or explosion pentagon. These ignitions can be made worse if there are significant levels of dust accumulation present in surrounding areas, and hazard mitigation techniques are not properly utilized. One of the best ways to identify these dust fire and explosion hazards, as well as being the first step in putting a mitigation action plan together is a Combustible Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA). Besides being a great first step it is also a required one according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards 652 and 61. Continue reading “Combustible Dust Hazards and Abatement Techniques for the Wood Pellet Industry”
