Resources

Dear Powder Doctor,
With all the emphasis nowadays to reduce explosion risk in the workplace, we are reviewing all aspects of our processes and safety measures. One area of concern is our flexible sleeves held with hose clamps. Many of our sleeve connections fit poorly or have been installed incorrectly, and they are leaking powder. Also, if there was to be an explosion in a process line using these sleeves, the sleeves or the clamps would possibly fail, allowing the blast into the plant atmosphere. Sure we have suppression and venting systems, but what good are they if a flexible sleeve held with hose clamps is a weak link?

Dear Powder Doctor,
I’m glad we met at last week’s Northwest Food & Manufacturing Show, because upon my return to work, I encountered quite the powder problem and need a quick prescription!

Our manufacturing process involves the addition of major and minor ingredients into our bulk powder recipes.

We have sophisticated control systems, including precise gain-in-weight and loss-in-weight scale equipment. Even so, we still have variation in our finished powder product.

In this month’s “Ask the Powder Doctor”, the Doctor offers advice to Mr. Kleen who worries that his bulk powder processing plant’s sanitation is at risk because of leaky flexible connectors.

Dear Powder Doctor:
As the plant sanitation engineer in a bulk powder manufacturing plant, I’m responsible for keeping our process lines running clean and efficiently.

Lately, our flexible sleeves, which are attached by hose clamps, have been spewing powder into the atmosphere, onto the floor and equipment, and on my workers.

In this month’s “Ask The Powder Doctor”, the Doctor offers advice to Al Ergic who seeks a way to avoid downtime for equipment cleaning, without increasing the risk of food allergen cross contamination.

Dear Powder Doctor,
My plant handles several food products that are known allergens, and we often switch product on the same lines to meet customer demand.  As many in the bulk powder industry know, food allergies account for an estimated 30,000 ER visits each year, and approximately 150 to 200 deaths!