Tutorial on Combustible Dust

Recent catastrophic dust explosions, the combustible dust National Emphasis Program (NEP), and OSHA proposed rulemaking, have increased awareness of combustible dust hazards in industry. This presentation provides an overview of combustible dust. The presentation will provide a summary of recent combustible dust incidents and the variety of types of materials that can represent a combustible dust hazard when present in a particulate form. Fundamentals of combustible dust will be covered, comparing and contrasting combustible dust to flammable gases and vapors. Test methods used to characterize the hazards of combustible dust will be reviewed. Finally, relevant standards and regulations will be described, including primary methods to prevent and mitigate combustible dust incidents.