Combustible Dust Testing in Puerto Rico to Protect Workers and Manufacturing Facilities

Each year, explosions and fires caused by combustible dust hazards result in horrific injuries, deaths and the destruction of property. Combustible dusts are fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in air under certain conditions.  
 
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes the components needed to create a combustible dust explosion hazard as the following: “In addition to the familiar fire triangle of oxygen, heat, and fuel (the dust), dispersion of dust particles in sufficient quantity and concentration can cause rapid combustion known as a deflagration. If the event is confined by an enclosure such as a building, room, vessel or process equipment, the resulting pressure rise may cause an explosion. These five factors (oxygen, heat, fuel, dispersion and confinement) are known as the Dust Explosion Pentagon. If one element of the pentagon is missing, an explosion cannot occur.”
 
The agency lists a number of industries at risk for combustible dust explosion hazards, they include agriculture, chemicals, food (e.g., candy, sugar, spice, starch, flour, feed), grain, fertilizer, tobacco, plastics, wood, forest, paper, pulp, rubber, furniture, textiles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, tire and rubber manufacturing, dyes, coal, metal processing (e.g., aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium and zinc), recycling operations and fossil fuel power generation (coal). 
 
“Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and a number of states have OSHA approved local guidelines and standards for addressing combustible dust in the workplace,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “In addition to employee training, testing for combustible dusts and other indoor environmental factors are key components of an effective safety program to identify potential dangers. To help prevent combustible dust explosions, employee injuries, deaths, the destruction of property and costly noncompliance fines, Zimmetry provides inspections, air testing and monitoring services for customers in Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean that meet local requirements.” 
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their combustible dust, industrial hygiene, building science, indoor environmental quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

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Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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