Combustible Dust

Does your company or firm

process any of these products or

materials in powdered form?

If your company or firm processes any of these products or

materials, there is potential for a “Combustible Dust” explosion.

Agricultural Products

Egg white

Milk, powdered

Milk, nonfat, dry

Soy flour

Starch, corn

Starch, rice

Starch, wheat

Sugar

Sugar, milk

Sugar, beet

Tapioca

Whey

Wood flour

Agricultural Dusts

Alfalfa

Apple

Beet root

Carrageen

Carrot

Cocoa bean dust

Cocoa powder

Coconut shell dust

Coffee dust

Corn meal

Cornstarch

Cotton

Cottonseed

Garlic powder

Gluten

Grass dust

Green coffee

Hops (malted)

Lemon peel dust

Lemon pulp

Linseed

Locust bean gum

Malt

Oat flour

Oat grain dust

Olive pellets

Onion powder

Parsley (dehydrated)

Peach

Peanut meal and skins

Peat

Potato

Potato flour

Potato starch

Raw yucca seed dust

Rice dust

Rice flour

Rice starch

Rye flour

Semolina

Soybean dust

Spice dust

Spice powder

Sugar (10x)

Sunflower

Sunflower seed dust

Tea

Tobacco blend

Tomato

Walnut dust

Wheat flour

Wheat grain dust

Wheat starch

Xanthan gum

Carbonaceous Dusts

Charcoal, activated

Charcoal, wood

Coal, bituminous

Coke, petroleum

Lampblack

Lignite

Peat, 22%H20

Soot, pine

Cellulose

Cellulose pulp

Cork

Corn

Chemical Dusts

Adipic acid

Anthraquinone

Ascorbic acid

Calcium acetate

Calcium stearate

Carboxy-methylcellulose

Dextrin

Lactose

Lead stearate

Methyl-cellulose

Paraformaldehyde

Sodium ascorbate

Sodium stearate

Sulfur

Metal Dusts

Aluminum

Bronze

Iron carbonyl

Magnesium

Zinc

Plastic Dusts

(poly) Acrylamide

(poly) Acrylonitrile

(poly) Ethylene

(low-pressure process)

Epoxy resin

Melamine resin

Melamine, molded

(phenol-cellulose)

Melamine, molded

(wood flour and

mineral filled phenolformaldehyde)

(poly) Methyl acrylate

(poly) Methyl acrylate,

emulsion polymer

Phenolic resin

(poly) Propylene

Terpene-phenol resin

Urea-formaldehyde/

cellulose, molded

(poly) Vinyl acetate/

ethylene copolymer

(poly) Vinyl alcohol

(poly) Vinyl butyral

(poly) Vinyl chloride/

ethylene/vinyl

acetylene suspension

copolymer

(poly) Vinyl chloride/

vinyl acetylene

emulsion

copolymer

Dust Control Measures

The dust-containing systems (ducts and dust collectors) are designed

in a manner (i.e., no leaking) that fugitive dusts are not allowed to

accumulate in the work area.

The facility has a housekeeping program with regular cleaning frequencies established for floors and horizontal surfaces, such as ducts,

pipes, hoods, ledges, and beams, to minimize dust accumulations

within operating areas of the facility.

The working surfaces are designed in a manner to minimize dust

accumulation and facilitate cleaning.

Ignition Control Measures

Electrically-powered cleaning devices such as vacuum cleaners, and

electrical equipment are approved for the hazard classification for

Class II locations.

The facility has an ignition control program, such as grounding and

bonding and other methods, for dissipating any electrostatic charge that

could be generated while transporting the dust through the ductwork.

The facility has a Hot Work permit program.

Areas where smoking is prohibited are posted with “No Smoking” signs.

Duct systems, dust collectors, and dust-producing machinery are bonded

and grounded to minimize accumulation of static electrical charge.

The facility selects and uses industrial trucks that are approved for the

combustible dust locations.

Prevention Measures

The facility has separator devices to remove foreign materials

capable of igniting combustible dusts.

MSDSs for the chemicals which could become combustible dust under

normal operations are available to employees.

Employees are trained on the explosion hazards of combustible dusts.

Protection Measures

The facility has an emergency action plan.

Dust collectors are not located inside of buildings. (Some exceptions)

Rooms, buildings, or other enclosures (dust collectors) have explosion

relief venting distributed over the exterior wall of buildings and

enclosures.

Explosion venting is directed to a safe location away from employees.

The facility has isolation devices to prevent deflagration propagation

between pieces of equipment connected by ductwork.

The dust collector systems have spark detection and explosion/

deflagration suppression systems.

Emergency exit routes are maintained properly.

www.osha.gov • (800) 321-OSHA •TTY (877) 889-5627