Efficient Plant May 2021 - 25

feature | solution focus
Left. The reconfigured conveyor controls emissions for improved safety and
easier maintenance.
Right. Dust accumulation on rolling components can cause abrasive damage
and premature failure.

airborne. The impact can create turbulent air pressure inside the
chute that seeks to escape from any gap it can find, carrying dust and
fines with it. A properly designed enclosure can manage bulk solids,
allow cargo to settle in the center of the belt, and contain most of the
dust inside a settling zone enclosure.

SPILLAGE COST
If left uncontained and allowed to spread, fugitive material in the
form of dust and fine-particle spillage increases labor costs for
cleanup, fouls equipment, potentially encapsulates the belt, and poses
a serious safety hazard. A dirty and dusty environment can also
discourage workers from doing regular maintenance on the problem
area and may affect morale.
Since trips and falls are regularly among the most common workplace accidents, OSHA inspectors are constantly on the lookout for
those hazards. In severe cases, spillage blocks access to the system
and exacerbates the hazards of working near a moving belt.
Dust levels are also strictly regulated by OSHA, and permit
violations can be accompanied by fines and potential downtime.
In industries known for dust generation, workers wear personal
dust monitors to measure particulate levels throughout their shifts.
Working within proximity of poorly designed loading zones can
cause monitored levels of PM10 (particulate material of less than
10 microns) to exceed allowable limits.

 Dust bags or mounted air cleaners to collect tiny, highly active
dust particles.
 A sealed tail box to protect the tail pulley from the backflow of
fines, dust, and spillage.
 Exit curtains to prevent fugitive dust from escaping from
21_0788_Efficient_Plant_MAY Mod: March 23, 2021 5:52 PM
Print: 04/14/21 3:31:53 PM page 1 v7

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A HOT SELECTION OF SAFETY ITEMS

SEALED-CHUTE COMPOSITION
A well-designed loading zone typically consists of a combination of
components. These include:
 An enclosed transfer chute long enough to give dust and fines
time to settle.
 A heavy-duty belt support system that absorbs impact, protects
the belt, and can handle rapidly shift ing heavy material.
 Closely spaced idlers to avoid sags in the belt that allow
gaps where fines can escape and ease material disruption from
bouncing.
 Externally adjustable or self-adjusting skirting that contains fine
particles and adapts to fluctuations in the belt plane.
 Easily serviced wear liners that can be changed from outside the
chute without the use of a blowtorch.
 Dust curtains set strategically throughout the enclosure to
control airflow and help settle dust.

MAY 2021

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Efficient Plant May 2021

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