FREE DOWNLOADa 2017 Combustible Dust Incident Report COPYRIGHT © 2018 | MYDUSTEXPLOSIONRESEARCH.COM | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Report Summary Purpose: The goal of this report is to increase awareness of combustible dust hazards and encourage adoption of prevention and protection practices. Recorded Incidents: Combustible Dust Incidents* Related Incidents NORTH AMERICA INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Fires 132 37 169 35 Explosions 32 36 68 41 Injuries 61 102 163 441 Fatalities 6 7 13 342 *An efort was made to identify incidents where industrial powder was not the main fuel and move these to “Related Incidents”. When combustible dust could not be ruled out, the incident was left as a “Combustible Dust Incident” (CDI) and included in the analysis given herein. Note on Methods: This report was compiled using the News feature of Google search and keywords such as “Dust Explosion” and “Combustible Dust”. Note on Completeness: Due to reliance on third-party news agencies, incomplete articles, and Google search, the author makes no warranties or guarantees on the accuracy or completeness of information given in this document. Thank You to our Sponsors: This incident reporting is made possible through the support of our paid sponsors. See a list of all sponsors on Page 17. “For a long time, people were saying that most accidents were due to human error and this is true in a sense but it’s not very helpful. It’s a bit like saying that falls are due to gravity” - Dr. Trevor Kletz 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 1 North America Review Recorded Incidents: 164 40 200 #/Month Cumulative Largest Ofenders 32 160 24 120 Dust: Grain Dust 16 80 State: Michigan Industry: Wood Products 8 40 Incidents Per Month Cumulative Incidents Equipment: Dust Collectors 0 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D Month “The piece of equipment which was on fre was designed with ‘blow out’ panels which allowed a smaller explosion but reduce the chances of a catastrophic explosion.” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE Recorded Fatalities: 6 10 10 #/Month Cumulative 8 8 “The fre was so intense that most of the alu- minum dust burned before it splashed onto 6 6 the ground. Taylor says the near-molten metal burned a hole approximately 4 feet in 4 4 diameter in the ground.” 2 2 CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE Fatalities Per Month Cumulative Fatalities 0 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D Month 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 2 International Review Recorded Incidents: 73 20 100 #/Month Cumulative Largest Ofenders 16 80 12 60 Dust: Wood/Grain Dust 8 40 Country: England 4 20 Industry: Food Processing Incidents Per Month Cumulative Incidents 0 0 Equipment: Silos J F M A M J J A S O N D Month Recorded Injuries: 102 50 150 #/Month Cumulative ”They then climbed on the silo to spray 40 120 water into it but a spark caused a combustion that lead to an explosion […]. 30 90 This is the fourth time the silo has caught fre in the past three months.” 20 60 Injuries Per Month 10 30 CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE Cumulative Injuries 0 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D Month Recorded Fatalities: 7 10 10 #/Month Cumulative 8 8 “A source confrmed that the girls were shooting a music video in the city of 6 6 Namyangju when combustible dust got too close to the lightning, causing a small 4 4 explosion.” 2 2 CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE Fatalities Per Month Cumulative Fatalities 0 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D Month 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 3 Materials & Industries Combustible Materials “The fndings indicate that an explosive atmosphere was created by a combination of of-gasses normally produced in the pulping process and air introduced to maintain pressure while the vessel was not in operation.” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE Processing Industries “The homeowner said she had used baby powder to smother ants on the second story. The powder came in contact with a space heater and ignited.” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE “Metal dust on the ceiling of the building caused the fre to spread, damaging some of the roof.” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 4 Equipment & Causes Equipment “What it really came down to was mechanical failure on one of the components on the grain handling equipment” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE “A saw blade became dislodged from its spindle, causing sparks and pieces of hot metal to enter a dust collection system. Sawdust was then ignited in the equipment’s collection containers. Employees noticed the smoke and opened the container, causing a small dust explosion that injured the workers. The resulting fre completely destroyed “That process of moving a large amount the building,” of material through pipes creates static electricity, so that’s a problem they’re CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE battling on a regular basis. I’m not saying that’s what occurred here, but that’s what we’re continuing to concentrate our investigation on” “The equipment is used to contain dust from the production of rubber products CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE from the business, which is suctioned from the building into the machines. As “Firefghting eforts were complicated the dust material is very fne, it tends to by the large amount of sawdust inside be highly combustible” the ductwork and equipment, which, CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE according to one witness, is as fammable as gunpowder.” CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 5 Featured Sponsors CDI Data (North America) AUTOMOTIVE & METAL WORKING (US) Date Company Location Type Fuel Inj. Fat. Equipment Cause Jan 24 NPR of America, Inc. Grand Haven, MI Exp. Metal 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 2 Jan 29 Advantage Manufacturing Co Springs, CO Fire Mag/Alumin. 0 0 No Details No Details 1 2 Feb 24 Catalina Cylinders Orng. County, CA Exp. Metal 0 0 No Details No Details 1 Apr 05 Witzenmann Troy, MI Fire Metal 0 0 Dust Collector Filter Fire 1 Apr 22 Vehicle Service Group Madison, IN Fire No Details 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 2 Apr 25 Kawasaki Tennessee Morristown, TN Fire Aluminum 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 Jun 02 American MSC Inc. Troy, MI Fire Metal 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 July 15 IWM International Hanover, PA Fire Metal 0 0 Roof Rafters No Details 1 July 21 American MSC Inc. Troy, MI Fire Metal 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 July 24 Reiloy Westland Corp. Maize, KS Fire Metal Dust 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 July 25 Global Titanium Detroit, MI Exp. Mag/Alumin. 0 0 Machine/Storage No Details 1 Sep 26 Arcelor Mittal Burns Harbor, IN Fire Metal 0 0 Control Room No Details 1 Nov 09 Tenneco Plant Smithville, TN Fire Chromium 0 0 Vent. System Welding 1 Nov 16 Stephens Metal Products Yakima, WA Fire Metal 0 0 Dust Collector No Details 1 2 Nov 21 American Sunroof Co. Bowling Grn., KY Fire No Details 0 0 No Details Saw Sparks 1 Dec 05 Nemak USA Facility Dickson, TN Fire Aluminum 0 0 No Details No Details 1 AUTOMOTIVE & METAL WORKING SUMMARY | INCIDENTS: 16 | EXPLOSIONS: 3 | FIRES: 13| INJURIES: 0 | FATALITIES: 0|1 AGRICULTURE & GRAIN STORAGE (US) Date Company Location Type Fuel Inj. Fat. Equipment Cause Links Jan 31 Paterson Grain Prelate, SA Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator No Details 1 2 Feb 08 Soutwest Grain Coop. Taylor, ND Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator Mechanical Failure 1 Feb 15 Dakota Mill & Grain Belle Fourche, SD Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator Overheated Belt 1 Mar 16 Ritzville Warehouse Co. Edwall, WA Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Bin Power Line 1 Apr 17 Hereford Grain Corp. Hereford, TX Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator No Details 1 2 May 09 Temco LLC. Kalama, WA Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator No Details 1 May 12 Bunge N. American, Inc. Homer, IL Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Bin Fan Motor 1 May 31 Frontier Cooperative Mead, NE Exp. Grain 0 0 Rail Loadout Hot Bearing 1 June 01 Dunkerton Co-op Dunkerton, IA Exp. Grain 0 0 Grain Bin No Details 1 June 22 Thresher Artisan Wheat Pocatello, ID Fire Wheat 0 0 Grain Elevator Overheated Belt 1 June 30 Kalama Export Kalma, WA Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator Overheated Roller 1 July 09 French Camp Grain Co. French Camp, CA Fire Grain 0 0 No Details No Details 1 July 14 ADM Milling Beech Grove, IN Fire Grain 0 0 Silo Conveyor Blt. Align. 1 July 16 Guadalupe Grain Inc. Seguin, TX Fire Grain 0 0 No Details Welding 1 July 21 No Details Osceola Cty, FL Fire Grain 0 0 Silo No Details 1 July 28 Hunter Grain Elevator Hunter, OK Fire Grain 0 0 Grain Elevator No Details 1 July 31 Farm Switz City, IN Exp. Grain 0 0 Grain Bin Failed Structure 1 Aug 15 Ag Valley Co-Op Edison, NE Exp. Fertilizer 0 0 Elevator No Details 1 2017 COMBUSTIBLE DUST INCIDENT REPORT 7 CDI Data (North America) AGRICULTURE & GRAIN STORAGE (US) - CONTD. Date Company Location Type Fuel Inj. Fat. Equipment Cause Links Aug 28 No Details Norway, WI Fire Rye Grain 0 0 Silo No Details 1 Sep 08 Nicholson & Edward Grain Primghar, IA Fire Corn/Soybns. 0 0 Elevator No Details 1 Sep 12 Grain Elevator Roxbury, KS Fire No Details 0 0 Elevator No Details 1 Sep 21 Farm in Dahlenburg Reynolds, IN Fire Soybean Dust 0 0 Combine No Details 1 Oct 03 Gonya Farms Inc.