Dust is a huge problem for many of our clients. A lot of people don’t realise this, but flour and other fairly ordinary materials can become combustible and explosive when they’re in a dust format and the presence of this dust means that there is a constant risk of danger.
Our many years of experience in the industries we work in have taught us that an explosion caused by dust is not something that anyone wants to have to witness, and it has even been known to cause serious injuries and fatalities, sadly.
Thankfully, the risk of explosions from dust has decreased in recent years. 30 years ago probably the most protection there was against dust was for employees who were encountering it to wear a mask. Apart from that, it was basically down to luck. Now, however, with the introduction of the ATEX Regulations, there is a greater understanding of the risks posed.
The ATEX Regulations are reassuringly very strict and stringent in terms of controlling dust, and although you can never eliminate the risk of dust completely, by following the ATEX Regulations you can keep it down to a manageable level.
The risk caused by dust is very much at the forefront of our minds when creating machines for our clients. What used to happen years ago was that an explosion within a machine would be uncontrolled, and would just disappear into the plant, which can obviously be extremely problematic. Today though, we use explosion proof panels in our machines and design the machines in such a way that if an explosion happens it will be captured and released in a controlled manner. In other words, our machines are designed to try to control the explosion so that it goes in a specific direction.
If you are concerned about the risk of dust on your business, then please contact us. Guttridge has over 50 years’ experience of providing high-quality bulk material handling solutions worldwide. We offer conveying and elevating equipment for a diverse range of materials, from foods and fine chemicals to biomass, aggregates and waste, and have four distinct product ranges which are ideally suited in design, specification and construction for a wide range of market sectors. We are respected around the world for delivering well-engineered, reliable materials handling solutions that continue to anticipate dramatically changing industrial needs.
For more information about Guttridge, the range of products we supply and the different industrial sectors we service, please visit https://www.guttridge.com or give us a call on +44 (0)1775 765300.