Combustible dust is any fine material that has the ability to catch fire and explode when mixed with air. Combustible dusts can be from: most solid organic materials (such as sugar, flour, grain, wood, etc. ) many metals, and ; some nonmetallic inorganic materials.
What is combustible dust and why should you care ? For starters, combustible dusts can actually cause explosions under certain conditions. there are 5 elements that must be present to cause a dust explosion. 1. ignition source, 2. fuel (dust), 3. confined space, 4. dispersion or suspension, the dust becomes suspended in the air, 5. oxygen. The logical way to prevent a dust explosion is to eliminate one or more of the five elements. Fuel is the one thing we can control, good housekeeping is a must. The second element we must control is a heat source or ignition source. Preventive maintenance and hot works permits are key functions in preventing fires and explosions.
