Is your business at risk of an explosion? Where there’s dust there’s the risk of explosion. Even something as basic and traditional as a coffee plant is at risk. That’s right, any production facility that receives, stores, processes or handles raw agricultural materials such as coffee is a high-risk industry as they often produce dust-like particles during the production process. And it isn’t just coffee. 80% of all dusts found in industries are combustible. Even a layer of 1 mm dust, when disturbed is sufficient to support an explosion, after the dust is stirred up and ignited. And most processed dusts are combustible. A combustible dust is fine material that has the ability to catch fire and explode when mixed with air. Even if the dust is from a supposed non-combustible material, it can burn or explode if the particles are the right size and in the right concentration. Dust can collect on horizontal surfaces such as beams, suspended ceilings, roofs ducts and equipment. The build-up of even a very small amount of dust can cause serious damage as it can support an explosion under certain conditions.
So, what do you do? The first step is installing an explosion protection system at your business. At Hard Fire, we specialize in explosion protection for Columbus and throughout Ohio, we can get you the protection your business needs. Historically, explosion protection equipment manufacturers have gone to market through equipment dealers, leaving end users on their own to install the systems once they were purchased. Now, you have Hard Fire to complete electrical and mechanical installation of explosion protection systems.
We will also provide local support services for your explosion protection equipment. Depending on the type of facility, several configurations of explosion protection systems can be used, including explosion venting (to a safe outdoor location), explosion suppression and explosion isolation. Along with our partner IEP Technologies, Hard Fire can help you design the right system for your application.
Manufacturers and processors of the following industries should most definitely implement an explosion protection program:
- Chemical
- Energy
- Paint
- Pharmaceuticals
- Wood/paper
- Aerosols
- Food
- Plastic
- And more
Whatever your industry, dust or business, we can help determine the right explosion protection system for you. It is also important to make sure your employees are aware of dust hazards, follow housekeeping rules, and take steps to reduce dust accumulations and remove ignition sources.
To learn more about explosion protection for your Columbus area and Ohio business, give Hard Fire a call at (614) 882-2990 or contact us.