When a facility experiences a fire, the danger and damage can be devastating. If a firefighter isn’t properly trained in combating fires where combustible dust is present, the situation can easily go from bad to worse if their tactics cause a combustible dust explosion.
The best way to avoid this from happening is to be sure your facility communicates with your local fire department prior to any incidents and let them know what combustible dust hazards they might encounter when they respond to a fire.
Many combustible dust explosions are actually secondary, and are caused by a fire elsewhere in the facility. The force of the fire or the efforts from trying to put out the original fire can disturb the combustible dust that was sitting on rafters, ventilation, and other high up surfaces. This dust then falls down and creates a combustible dust cloud, which ignites and explodes when it comes in contact with the original fire.
Pre-planning on the fire department’s end can help prevent further destruction to your building, and can help save lives. When the firefighters know that there is a risk of creating a combustible dust cloud they will be able to use other, more effective, techniques to put out the original fire.
To find more information on combustible dust explosions and firefighting, download OSHA’s Precautions for Firefighters to Prevent Dusts Explosions Quick Card, or the Firefighting Precautions at Facilities with Combustible Dust manual.
