U. S. Department of Labor 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

Directorate of Standards and Guidance 

Office of Safety Systems 

Combustible Dust in Industry: Preventing and Mitigating

 the Effects of Fire and Explosions 

Safety and Health Information Bulletin 

Purpose 

This Safety and Health Information Bulletin 

(SHIB) highlights: 

• Hazards associated with combustible 

dusts; 

• Work practices and guidelines that 

reduce the potential for a combustible 

dust explosion, or that reduce the danger 

to employees if such an explosion 

occurs; and, 

• Training to protect employees from these 

hazards. 

Background 

Organic Dust Fire and Explosion: 

Massachusetts (3 killed, 9 injured) 

In February 1999, a deadly fire and explosion 

occurred in a foundry in Massachusetts. The 

Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) 

and state and local officials conducted a joint 

investigation of this incident. The joint investigation 

report1

 indicated that a fire initiated in a shell 

molding machine from an unknown source and then 

extended into the ventilation system ducts by 

feeding on heavy deposits of phenol formaldehyde 

SHIB 07-31-2005 

resin dust. A small primary deflagration occurred within 

the ductwork, dislodging dust that had settled on the 

exterior of the ducts. The ensuing dust cloud provided 

fuel for a secondary explosion which was powerful 

enough to lift the roof and cause wall failures. 

Causal factors listed in the joint investigation report 

included inadequacies in the following areas: 

• Housekeeping to control dust accumulations; 

• Ventilation system design; 

• Maintenance of ovens; and, 

• Equipment safety devices. 

This Safety and Health Information Bulletin is not a 

standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal 

obligations. The Bulletin is advisory in nature, informational in content, and is intended to assist employers in 

providing a safe and healthful workplace. Pursuant to 

the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers 

must comply with hazard-specific safety and health 

standards promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an 

OSHA-approved state plan. In addition, pursuant to 

Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause of the Act, 

employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause 

death or serious physical harm. Employers can be cited 

for violating the General Duty Clause if there is a 

recognized hazard and they do not take reasonable 

steps to prevent or abate the hazard. However, failure 

to implement any recommendations in this Safety and 

Health Information Bulletin is not, in itself, a violation of 

the General Duty Clause. Citations can only be based 

on standards, regulations, and the General Duty Clause. 
Organic Dust Fire and Explosion: North Carolina 

(6 killed, 38 injured) 

In January 2003, devastating fires and explosions 

destroyed a North Carolina pharmaceutical plant that 

manufactured rubber drug-delivery components. Six 

employees were killed and 38 people, including two 

firefighters, were injured. The U.S. Chemical Safety 

and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), an 

independent Federal agency charged with investigating 

chemical incidents, issued a final report2 concluding 

that an accumulation of a combustible polyethylene 

dust above the suspended ceilings fueled the 

explosion. The CSB was unable to determine what 

ignited the initial fire or how the dust was dispersed to 

create the explosive cloud in the hidden ceiling space. 

The explosion severely damaged the plant and caused 

minor damage to nearby businesses, a home, and a 

school. The causes of the incident cited by CSB 

included inadequacies in: 

• Hazard assessment; 

• Hazard communication; and 

• Engineering management. 

The CSB recommended the application of provisions 

in National Fire Protection Association standard 

NFPA 654, Standard for the Prevention of Fire 

and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, 

Processing, and Handling of Combustible 

Particulate Solids, as well as the formal adoption of 

this standard by the State of North Carolina. 

Organic Dust Fire and Explosion: Kentucky (7 

killed, 37 injured) 

In February 2003, a Kentucky acoustics insulation 

manufacturing plant was the site of another fatal dust 

explosion. The CSB also investigated this incident. 

Their report3 cited the likely ignition scenario as a 

small fire extending from an unattended oven which 

ignited a dust cloud created by nearby line cleaning. 

This was followed by a deadly cascade of dust 

explosions throughout the plant. The CSB identified 

several causes of ineffective dust control and 

explosion prevention/mitigation involving inadequacies 

in: 

• Hazard assessment; 

• Hazard communication; 

• Maintenance procedures; 

• Building design; and, 

• Investigation of previous fires. 

Metal Dust Fire and Explosion: Indiana (1 killed, 

1 injured) 

Finely dispersed airborne metallic dust can also be 

explosive when confined in a vessel or building. In 

October 2003, an Indiana plant where auto wheels 

were machined experienced an incident which was 

also investigated by the CSB. A report has not yet 

been issued, however, a CSB news release4

 told a 

story similar to the previously discussed organic dust 

incidents: aluminum dust was involved in a primary 

explosion near a chip melting furnace, followed by a 

secondary blast in dust collection equipment. 

Related Experience in the Grain Handling 

Industry 

In the late 1970s a series of devastating grain dust 

explosions in grain elevators left 59 people dead and 

49 injured. In response to these catastrophic events, 

OSHA issued a “Grain Elevator Industry Hazard 

2 
 

Blast

Wave

Primary Explosion Secondary Explosion

Dust cloud formed Heat from primary explosion ignites

dust cloud

Alert” to provide employers, employees, and other 

officials with information on the safety and health 

hazards associated with the storage and distribution of 

grain. 

In 1987, OSHA promulgated the Grain Handling 

Facilities standard (29 CFR 1910.272), which 

remains in effect. This standard, other OSHA 

standards such as Emergency Action Plans (29 CFR 

1910.38), and updated industry consensus standards 

all played an important role in reducing the occurrence 

of explosions in this industry, as well as mitigating their 

effects. The lessons learned in the grain industry can 

be applied to other industries producing, generating, 

or using combustible dust. 

Elements of a Dust Explosion 

Elements Needed for a Fire (the familiar “Fire 

Triangle”): 

1. Combustible dust (fuel); 

2. Ignition source (heat); and, 

3. Oxygen in air (oxidizer). 

Additional Elements Needed for a Combustible 

Dust Explosion: 

4. Dispersion of dust particles in sufficient quantity

 and concentration; and, 

5. Confinement of the dust cloud. 

Dust cloud formed 

Blast 

Wave 

Figure 1 

The addition of the latter two elements to the fire 

triangle creates what is known as the “explosion 

pentagon” (see Figure 1). If a dust cloud (diffused 

fuel) is ignited within a confined or semi-confined 

vessel, area, or building, it burns very rapidly and may 

explode. The safety of employees is threatened by the 

ensuing fires, additional explosions, flying debris, and 

collapsing building components. 

An initial (primary) explosion (see Figure 2) in 

processing equipment or in an area were fugitive dust 

has accumulated may shake loose more accumulated 

dust, or damage a containment system (such as a duct, 

vessel, or collector). As a result, if ignited, the 

additional dust dispersed into the air may cause one or 

more secondary explosions (see Figure 2). These can 

be far more destructive than a primary explosion due 

to the increased quantity and concentration of 

dispersed combustible dust. 

Heat from primary explosion ignites 

dust cloud 

Primary Explosion Secondary Explosion 

Figure 2 

3 
If one of the elements of the explosion pentagon is 

missing, a catastrophic explosion can not occur. 

Two of the elements in the explosion pentagon are 

difficult to eliminate: oxygen (within air), and 

confinement of the dust cloud (within processes or 

buildings). However, the other three elements of 

the pentagon can be controlled to a significant 

extent, and will be discussed further in this 

document. 

Facility Dust Hazard Assessment 

A combustible dust explosion hazard may exist in a 

variety of industries, including: food (e.g., candy, 

starch, flour, feed), plastics, wood, rubber, furniture, 

textiles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, coal, 

metals (e.g., aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium, 

and zinc), and fossil fuel power generation. The vast 

majority of natural and synthetic organic materials, 

as well as some metals, can form combustible dust. 

NFPA’s Industrial Fire Hazards Handbook5 

states that “any industrial process that reduces a 

combustible material and some normally 

noncombustible materials to a finely divided state 

presents a potential for a serious fire or explosion.” 

Facility Analysis Components 

Facilities should carefully identify the following in 

order to assess their potential for dust explosions: 

• Materials that can be combustible when 

finely divided; 

• Processes which use, consume, or produce 

combustible dusts; 

• Open areas where combustible dusts may 

build up; 

• Hidden areas where combustible dusts 

may accumulate; 

• Means by which dust may be dispersed in 

the air; and 

• Potential ignition sources. 

The applicable Federal, state, and local laws and 

regulations must be identified and followed. The 

two predominant model fire codes which have been 

adopted by many jurisdictions in this country are the 

International Code Council’s International Fire Code® 

and NFPA’s Uniform Fire Code®. Both of these model 

codes reference many of the NFPA consensus standards 

related to dust explosion prevention and mitigation which 

are discussed below. In the absence of a legal mandate 

to comply with these consensus standards, they should 

be considered a very useful source of guidance on this 

topic. 

Dust Combustibility 

The primary factor in an assessment of these hazards is 

whether the dust is in fact combustible. Any “material 

that will burn in air” in a solid form can be explosive 

when in a finely divided form.6

 Combustible dust is 

defined by NFPA 654 as: “Any finely divided solid 

material that is 420 microns or smaller in diameter 

(material passing a U.S. No. 40 Standard Sieve) and 

presents a fire or explosion hazard when dispersed and 

ignited in air.” The same definition is used for 

combustible metal dust in NFPA 484, Standard for 

Combustible Metals, Metal Powders, and Metal 

Dusts. One possible source for information on 

combustibility is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 

for the material. In some cases, additional information 

such as test results will be available from chemical 

manufacturers. 

Different dusts of the same chemical material will have 

different ignitability and explosibility characteristics, 

depending upon many variables such as particle size, 

shape, and moisture content. Additionally, these variables 

can change while the material is passing through process 

equipment. For this reason, published tables of dust 

explosibility data may be of limited practical value. In 

some cases, dusts will be combustible even if the particle 

size is larger than that specified in the NFPA definition, 

especially if the material is fibrous.7 

Industrial settings may contain high-energy ignition 

sources such as welding torches. In these situations, test 

methods for dust ignition and explosion characteristics 

from ASTM International (originally the American 

Society for Testing and Materials) would be of value. A 

discussion of these test methods is in reference 8, and 

the relevant OSHA and other standards are listed in the 

“Sources of Additional Information” section of this 

document. 

4 
Electrical Classification 

The facility analysis must identify areas requiring 

special electrical equipment classification due to the 

presence (or potential presence) of combustible dust. 

The OSHA Electrical standard (29 CFR Part 1910 

Subpart S) contains general requirements for electrical 

installations in hazardous areas. Detailed requirements 

for equipment and wiring methods are in NFPA 70, 

the National Electrical Code®. However, NFPA 70 

does not define combustible dusts. 

Further guidance on area classification is contained in 

NFPA 499, Recommended Practice for the 

Classification of Combustible Dusts and of 

Hazardous (classified) Locations for Electrical 

Installations in Chemical Process Areas. This 

document uses the same definition of combustible dust 

as NFPA 484 and NFPA 654. The overall dust 

hazard designation for electrical requirements is Class 

II. This is further broken down into Divisions which 

represent the probability of dust being present at any 

given time. Additionally, each dust is assigned a group 

(E, F, or G), representing the dust types (metal, 

carbonaceous, and other, respectively) with different 

properties. For instance, group E dusts are electrically 

conductive and electric current can pass through a 

layer of such dust under favorable circumstances, 

causing short circuits or arcs. 

Other Hazard Analysis Considerations 

The amount of dust accumulation necessary to cause 

an explosive concentration can vary greatly. This is 

because there are so many variables – the particle size 

of the dust, the method of dispersion, ventilation 

system modes, air currents, physical barriers, and the 

volume of the area in which the dust cloud exists or 

may exist. As a result, simple rules of thumb regarding 

accumulation (such as writing in the dust or visibility in 

a dust cloud) can be subjective and misleading. The 

hazard analysis should be tailored to the specific 

circumstances in each facility and the full range of 

variables affecting the hazard. 

Many locations need to be considered in an 

assessment. One obvious place for a dust explosion to 

initiate is where dust is concentrated. In equipment 

such as dust collectors, a combustible mixture could 

be present whenever the equipment is operating. 

Other locations to consider are those where dust can 

settle, both in occupied areas and in hidden concealed 

spaces. A thorough analysis will consider all possible 

scenarios in which dust can be disbursed, both in the 

normal process and potential failure modes. 

After hazards have been assessed and hazardous 

locations are identified, one or more of the following 

prevention, protection and/or mitigation methods may 

be applied. The references and information sources at 

the end of this document will assist in the decision 

process for the methods suitable to specific work 

sites. Additional guidance and requirements may be 

available from local or state fire and building code 

officials as well as OSHAArea or Regional Offices. 

Dust Control 

NFPA 654, Standard for the Prevention of Fire 

and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, 

Processing, and Handling of Combustible 

Particulate Solids, contains comprehensive guidance 

on the control of dusts to prevent explosions. The 

following are some of its recommendations: 

• Minimize the escape of dust from process 

equipment or ventilation systems; 

• Use dust collection systems and filters; 

• Utilize surfaces that minimize dust 

accumulation and facilitate cleaning; 

• Provide access to all hidden areas to permit 

inspection; 

• Inspect for dust residues in open and hidden 

areas, at regular intervals; 

• Clean dust residues at regular intervals; 

• Use cleaning methods that do not generate 

dust clouds, if ignition sources are present; 

• Only use vacuum cleaners approved for dust 

collection; 

• Locate relief valves away from dust hazard 

areas; and 

• Develop and implement a hazardous dust 

inspection, testing, housekeeping, and control 

program (preferably in writing with established 

frequency and methods). 

5 
The OSHA ventilation standard, 29 CFR 1910.94, 

contains ventilation requirements for certain types of 

operations (such as abrasives, blasting, grinding, or 

buffing) which involve dusts, including combustible 

dusts. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1) requires 

employers to keep work places and other areas clean, 

which includes the removal of dust accumulations. 

Ignition Control 

NFPA 654, Standard for the Prevention of Fire 

and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, 

Processing, and Handling of Combustible 

Particulate Solids, also contains comprehensive 

guidance on the control of ignition sources to prevent 

explosions. The following are some of its 

recommendations: 

• Use appropriate electrical equipment and 

wiring methods; 

• Control static electricity, including bonding of 

equipment to ground; 

• Control smoking, open flames, and sparks; 

• Control mechanical sparks and friction; 

• Use separator devices to remove foreign 

materials capable of igniting combustibles from 

process materials; 

• Separate heated surfaces from dusts; 

• Separate heating systems from dusts; 

• Proper use and type of industrial trucks; 

• Proper use of cartridge activated tools; and 

• Adequately maintain all the above equipment. 

The use of proper electrical equipment in hazardous 

locations is crucial to eliminating a common ignition 

source. The classification of areas requiring special 

electrical equipment is discussed in the Facility Dust 

Hazard Assessment section above. Once these areas 

have been identified, special Class II wiring methods 

and equipment (such as “dust ignition-proof” and 

“dust-tight”) must be used as required by 29 CFR 

1910.307 and as detailed in NFPA 70 Article 500. It 

is important not to confuse Class II equipment with 

Class I explosion-proof equipment, as Class II 

addresses dust hazards, while Class I addresses gas, 

vapor and liquid hazards. 

The use of industrial trucks is regulated by OSHA’s 

Powered Industrial Trucks standard (29 CFR 

1910.178). Hazardous atmospheres including dust 

concentrations are addressed in paragraph (c) of this 

standard. 

Where coal-handling operations may produce a 

combustible atmosphere from flammable dust, 

employers covered by the Electric Power Generation, 

Transmission, and Distribution standard must eliminate 

or safely control ignition sources. See 29 CFR 

1910.269(v)(11)(xii). 

Damage Control 

NFPA 654, Standard for the Prevention of Fire 

and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, 

Processing, and Handling of Combustible 

Particulate Solids, contains comprehensive guidance 

to minimize the danger and damage from an explosion. 

The following are some suggested protection methods: 

• Separation of the hazard (isolate with 

distance); 

• Segregation of the hazard (isolate with a 

barrier); 

• Deflagration venting of a building, room, or 

area; 

• Pressure relief venting for equipment; 

• Provision of spark/ember detection and 

extinguishing systems; 

• Explosion protection systems (also refer to 

NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion 

Prevention Systems); 

• Sprinkler systems; and 

• The use of other specialized suppression 

systems. 

Training 

Employees 

Workers are the first line of defense in preventing and 

mitigating fires and explosions. If the people closest 

to the source of the hazard are trained to recognize 

and prevent hazards associated with combustible dust 

6 
in the plant, they can be instrumental in recognizing 

unsafe conditions, taking preventative action, and/or 

alerting management. While OSHA standards require 

training for certain employees, all employees should be 

trained in safe work practices applicable to their job 

tasks, as well as on the overall plant programs for dust 

control and ignition source control. They should be 

trained before they start work, periodically to refresh 

their knowledge, when reassigned, and when hazards 

or processes change. 

Employers with hazardous chemicals (including 

combustible dusts) in their workplaces are required to 

comply with 29 CFR 1910.1200, the Hazard 

Communication standard. This includes having labels 

on containers of hazardous chemicals, using material 

safety data sheets, and providing employee training. 

Management 

A qualified team of managers should be responsible 

for conducting a facility analysis (or for having one 

done by qualified outside persons) prior to the 

introduction of a hazard and for developing a 

prevention and protection scheme tailored to their 

operation. Supervisors and managers should be aware 

of and support the plant dust and ignition control 

programs. Their training should include identifying how 

they can encourage the reporting of unsafe practices 

and facilitate abatement actions. 

References 

1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

(OSHA), the Massachusetts Office of the State Fire 

Marshall, and the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad. 

“Joint Foundry Explosion Investigation Team Report.” 

OSHA, Springfield, MA, (No date). 

2. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board 

(CSB). “Investigation Report: West Pharmaceutical 

Services, Inc. Dust Explosion.” CSB, Washington, 

DC, September 2004. 

Combustible Dust Fire and Explosions.” CSB, 

Washington, DC, September 2004. 

4. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board 

(CSB). “CSB Investigators Find Likely Source of 

Dust Explosion at Indiana Automotive Plant.” CSB 

News Release, Washington, DC, November 5, 2003. 

5. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). 

“Industrial Fire Hazards Handbook,” 3rd Edition. 

NFPA, Inc., Quincy, MA, 1990. 

6. Cross, J., and Farrer, D., “Dust Explosions,” New 

York: Plenum Press, 1982. 

7. Cashdollar, K.L., “Overview of Dust Explosibility 

Characteristics,” Journal of Loss Prevention in the 

Process Industries, v. 13, pp. 183-199, 2000. 

8. Britton, L.G., Cashdollar, K.L, Fenlon, W., Frurip, 

D., Going, J., Harrison, B.K., Niemeier, J., and Ural, 

E.A., “The Role of ASTM E27 Methods in Hazard 

Assessment Part II: Flammability and Ignitability,” 

Process Safety Progress, v. 24, pp. 12-28, 2005. 

General Information 

FM Global, “Prevention and Mitigation of 

Combustible Dust Explosions and Fire,” Data Sheet 

No. 7-76, January 2005. 

Eckhoff, Rolf K. “Dust Explosions in the Process 

Industries,” 3rd Edition, Gulf Professional Publishing, 

2003. 

Bartknecht, W. “Dust Explosions: Course, Prevention, 

and Protection,” Springer- Verlag, 1989. 

Hatwig, M., and Steen, H. (eds.), “Handbook of 

Explosion Prevention and Protection,” Wiley-VCH, 

2004. 

Frank, Walter. “Dust Explosion Prevention and the 

Critical Importance of Housekeeping,” Process 

Safety Progress, vol. 23, no. 3, September 2004, pp. 

175-184. 

3. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board 

(CSB). “Investigation Report: CTAAcoustics, Inc. 

7 
Amyotte, P., Kahn, F., and Dastidar, A. “Reduce 

Dust Explosions the Inherently Safer Way,” Chemical 

Engineering Progress, vol. 99, no. 10, October 2003, 

pp. 36-43. 

Ebidat, Vahid. “Is Your Dust Collection System an 

Explosion Hazard?” Chemical Engineering Progress, 

vol. 99, no. 10, October 2003, pp. 44-49. 

Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS). 

“Guidelines for Safe Handling of Powders and Bulk 

Solids.” CCPS, American Institute for Chemical 

Process Safety, New York, New York, January 

2005. 

Sources of Additional Information 

Note: This SHIB was developed using the latest 

information and requirements from the references 

below. Editions are not listed here, since users of this 

document should refer to the most current editions. 

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) [Standards] 

http://www.gpoaccess.gov 

U.S. Government Printing Office 

732 N. Capitol Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20401 

Telephone: (866) 512-1800 (toll-free) 

OSHA Standards, Interpretations, and 

Publications 

http://www.osha.gov 

U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA 

OSHA Publications Office 

200 Constitution Ave., NW, N-3101 

Washington, DC 20210 

Telephone: (202) 693-1888 

or by Fax: (202) 693-2498 

Related OSHA standards found in 29 CFR: 

§1910.22 - General Requirements: Housekeeping· 

§1910.38 - Emergency Action Plans 

§1910.294 - Ventilation 

§1910.107 - Spray Finishing Using Flammable and 

Combustible Materials 

§1910.146 - Permit-Required Confined Spaces 

(references combustible dust) 

§1910.178 - Powered Industrial Trucks 

§1910.269 - Electric Power Generation, 

Transmission and Distribution (coal handling) 

§1910.272 - Grain Handling Facilities 

§1910.307 - Hazardous (classified) Locations (for 

electric equipment) 

§1910.1200 - Hazard Communication 

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation 

Board 

http://www.csb.gov 

2175 K Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20037-1809 

Telephone: (202) 261-7600 

Fax: (202) 261-7650 

ASTM International 

http://www.astm.org 

100 Barr Harbor Drive 

P. O. Box C700 

West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959 

Telephone: (610) 832-9585 

Fax: (610) 832-955 

Related ASTM Standards: 

• E789-95 Standard Test Method for Dust 

Explosions in a 1.2-Litre Closed 

Cylindrical Vessel 

• E1226-00e1 Standard Test Method for 

Pressure and Rate of Pressure Rise for 

Combustible Dusts 

• E1491-97 Standard Test Method for 

Minimum Autoignition Temperature of 

Dust Clouds 

• E1515-03a Standard Test Method for 

Minimum Explosible Concentration of 

Combustible Dusts 

• E2021-01 Standard Test Method for HotSurface Ignition Temperature of Dust 

Layers 

8 
National Materials Advisory Board (NMAB) 

Publications 

National Academies Press 

http://nap.edu 

500 Fifth St., NW 

Washington, DC 20001 

Telephone: (202) 334-3313 

Fax: (202) 334-2451 

Related NMAB Publication: 

• NMAB 353-4 (1982), Classification 

of Dusts Relative to Electrical 

Equipment in Class II Hazardous 

Locations. 

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 

http://www.nfpa.org 

1 Batterymarch Park 

Quincy, MA 02169-7471 

Telephone: (800) 344-3555 

Related NFPA Standards: 

• NFPA 61, Standard for the Prevention of 

Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural 

and Food Processing Facilities 

• NFPA 68, Guide for Venting of 

Deflagrations 

• NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion 

Prevention Systems 

• NFPA 70, National Electrical Code® 

• NFPA 91, Standard for Exhaust Systems 

for Air Conveying of Vapors, Gases, Mists, 

and Noncombustible Particulate Solids 

• NFPA 120, Standard for Fire Prevention 

and Control in Metal/Nonmetal Mining and 

Metal Mineral Processing Facilities 

• NFPA 432, Code for the Storage of 

Organic Peroxide Formulations 

• NFPA 480, Standard for the Storage, 

Handling, and Processing of Magnesium 

Solids and Powders 

• NFPA 481, Standard for the Production, 

Processing, Handling, and Storage of 

Titanium 

• NFPA 482, Standard for the Production, 

Processing, Handling, and Storage of 

Zirconium 

• NFPA 484, Standard for Combustible 

Metals, Metal Powders, and Metal Dusts 

• NFPA 485, Standard for the Storage, 

Handling, Processing, and Use of Lithium 

Metal 

• NFPA 495, Explosive Materials Code 

• NFPA 499, Recommended Practice for the 

Classification of Combustible Dusts and of 

Hazardous (Classified) Locations for 

Electrical Installations in Chemical Process 

Areas 

• NFPA 505, Fire Safety Standard for 

Powered Industrial Trucks Including Type 

Designations, Areas of Use, Conversions, 

Maintenance, and Operation 

• NFPA 560, Standard for the Storage, 

Handling, and Use of Ethylene Oxide for 

Sterilization and Fumigat 

• NFPA 654, Standard for the Prevention of 

Fire and Dust Explosions from the 

Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling 

of Combustible Particulate Solids 

• NFPA 655, Standard for Prevention of 

Sulfur Fires and Explosions 

• NFPA 664, Standard for the Prevention of 

Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing 

and Woodworking Facilities 

• NFPA 1124, Code for the Manufacture, 

Transportation, Storage, and Retail Sales 

of Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles 

• NFPA 1125, Code for the Manufacture of 

Model Rocket and High Power Rocket 

Motors 

International Code Council (ICC) 

http://www.iccsafe.org 

5203 Leesburg Pike, Suite 600 

Falls Church, VA 22041 

Telephone: 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233) 

Fax: (703) 379-1546 

Related ICC Publication: 

• International Fire Code 

9