Hallam-ICS offers a full range of consulting and design services for dust collection and combustible dust safety.
Many processing facilities rely on dust collection systems to perform functions vital to their operation. While sometimes required to help ensure product quality, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) concerns always demand systems that perform effectively and safely.
If your dust is combustible, you must also address fire, flash fire, and explosion hazards to protect your personnel and facility. Enforceable by OSHA under the General Duty Clause, NFPA 652 provides the minimum general requirements necessary to manage these hazards.
The primary requirement of NFPA 652 is to complete a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA). This requirement applies retroactively to existing facilities and processes and must be completed by September 7, 2020. Originally issued in 2015 with a 2018 compliance deadline (2019 edition, effective May 24, 2018, extended the deadline to 2020), NFPA 652 also requires that owners demonstrate reasonable progress in completing DHAs each year prior to the deadline. If your facility has not yet started this process, you are already non-compliant.
Your DHA will identify the fire, flash fire, and explosion hazards in your facility, any existing protection measures, and additional measures that are necessary. Referencing the NFPA standards applicable to your industry or product(s), designs can be developed to implement the additional protective measures identified by the DHA. With the hazards identified and appropriate safeguards implemented, your focus can shift to management, training, inspection, and maintenance.
Contact us today with your questions, and one of our compliance specialists will be in touch with you to discuss how we can assist you.
