Compressed Air Best Practices - February 2009 - (Page 35)

Focus Industry POWER PLANTS | 02/09 | accumulation of coal dust on horizontal surfacesi. Unfortunately, the Ford Power Plant wasn’t the first or last industrial workplace blast; the U.S. Chemical and Safety Hazard board estimates there are on average 10 explosions, 5 fatalities and 29 injuries per year as a result of combustible dust-related incidentsii . So what can be done to prevent these types of accidents in the future? In March 2008, OSHA reissued their National Emphasis Program (NEP) on combustible dust to call attention to the agency’s rigorous expectations for combustible dust-related explosion prevention, which includes random unannounced audits.iii Although the NEP applies to all industries that handle combustible dusts, there is a particular emphasis on power plants and coal/carbon dusts due to their high risk for dust-related explosions. The program also outlines recommendations for decreasing a plant’s risk of an explosion, of which include incorporating a HEPA-filtered industrial vacuum into maintenance plans. While this is indeed a smart decision, power plant facilities that handle materials classified hazardous by the National Fire Protection Agency, such as coal, must actually use a certified, explosion-proof or intrinsically safe vacuum. Certifiable Explosion-Proof: Beware of “Dress Up” Most power plant supervisors assume the machinery in their plants is explosion-proof, including the industrial vacuums, but as seen in multiple tragedies, this often isn’t the case. In fact, using just a basic vacuum can actually add to the risk of explosion. An “explosion-proof” vacuum (EXP) is explosion-proof to the core. This means that everything from the outer shell to the internal mechanics including the motor, switches, filters and inner chambers are grounded and constructed of non-sparking materials like stainless steel. Some industrial vacuum companies offer basic models dressed up with a few anti-static accessories and describe them as suitable for explosive material. These imposters can still create arcs, sparks or heat that can cause ignition of the exterior atmosphere and overheating that can ignite dust blanketing the vacuum. Purchasing an explosion-proof vacuum approved by a nationally recognized testing agency such as the Canadian Safety Association (CSA) or Underwriters Laboratories (UL) will protect buyers from purchasing a poser by providing legal certification that the vacuum can be used in a particular NFPA-classified environment. It ensures every component in the vacuum from the ground up meets strict standards for preventing shock and fire hazards. www.airbestpractices.com 35 http://www.airbestpractices.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Compressed Air Best Practices - February 2009

Compressed Air Best Practices - February 2009 Contents From the Editor Utility-Air News Compressed Air Audit of the Month Air Standards Instrument Air in Nuclear Power Plants Seven Sustainability Projects for Industrial Energy Savings The Pneumatic Advantage Personal Productivity Resources for Energy Engineers Wall Street Watch Advertiser Index Classifieds

Compressed Air Best Practices - February 2009

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