AN OVERVIEW
The need to carry out an explosion risk assessment in production conditions at the risk of presence of flammable and explosive gases, dusts, mists, flammable vapours and fibres results from the provisions of the European directive Atex Users on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres. The assessment of explosion risks related to the possibility of explosive atmospheres occurring in workplaces should take into account at least:
- The likelihood that explosive atmospheres will occur and their persistence,
- The likelihood that ignition sources, including electrostatic discharges, will be present and become active,
- The installations, substances used, processes, and their possible interactions,
- The scale of the anticipated effects
Objectives
- Identification of locations where combustible dust cloud atmospheres are or could be present during normal and abnormal operating conditions;
- Understanding the explosion, thermal instability and electrostatic characteristics of the dust(s);
- Assessment of risk arising from the hazards & consideration of its severity, probability of occurrence and tolerability to personnel, facility & the environment;
- To identify and ensure that adequate existing control measures are available to protect the dust explosion hazards followed by mitigation measures for reducing the incremental risk;
- To carry out Shop floor site visit, assessment for the plant & the utilities with respect to dust, Qualitative assessment & submission of draft dust hazard assessment report followed by final report incorporating the comments;
- To identify main risk contributors and to suggest practical and effective mitigating measures like explosion protection techniques, Blanketing, venting, containment, passive fire proofing, fire / blast wall rating, automatic fire suppression systems, required to demonstrate that efforts have been made to lower risk levels; and
- To identify and recommend risk reduction measures.
