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What is Inherent Safer Design (ISD), and how can I implement it to ensure plant safety?

For bulk powder processing plants of all types – from dairy to pharmaceutical — plant safety is job No. 1. The sheer number of moving parts and equipment means a host of factors could go wrong at any given time.  That’s where Inherent Safer Design (ISD) comes into play.

ISD aims to design and operate a safe processing plant. It tries to eliminate, or at the very least very significantly reduce, hazards in a plant rather than just manage them with procedures or hardware.

If your plant is looking to reduce the costs that accompany safety equipment or enhanced procedures, then ISD may be a worth implementing.

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How can I reduce maintenance downtime and improve plant efficiency?

For every bulk powder processing plant, proper cleaning and maintenance of equipment is essential to ensure sanitation and quality of product. Finding ways to clean and maintain equipment while improving plant efficiency is even more essential.

That’s particularly true for plants that must batch change often for different types of powder, such as food, dairy and pharmaceutical processors.

Using outdated hose clamps and flexible sleeves, time spent taking down and cleaning equipment can be significant – not to mention the time spent cleaning up any resulting leaks or messes.

That equals unnecessary downtime, lost productivity and lost revenue.

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What measures can bulk powder processing plants take to prevent dust explosions?

Dust Explosion PreventionDust explosions in bulk powder processing plants are a serious issue. Over the past 30 years, more than 300 dust explosions have killed more than 120 workers in grain silos, sugar plants and food processing plants. And in 2008, after a disastrous explosion in a Georgia sugar factory, a bill was passed to require the Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA) to set standards to regulate combustible dusts.

Sophisticated explosion venting and suppression systems can be successful if the primary explosion is contained within the process equipment. It’s also important to control the ignition of sources to prevent dust explosions. OSHA offers a few tips:

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Should bulk powder processing plants be concerned with preventing cross contamination of allergens?

Bulk Powder Processing Cross ContaminationThe bulk powder processing industry should be extremely concerned with preventing cross contamination of allergens. 11 million people in the U.S. suffer from food allergies, and as many as 200 deaths a year are the result of an allergic reaction, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Did you know 8 foods account for 90% of allergic reactions?

1. Peanuts

2. Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans)

3. Fish

4. Shellfish

5. Eggs

6. Milk

7. Soy

8. Wheat

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What health effects can dust exposure have on workers in my bulk powder processing plant?

Dust Hazards PreventionExposure to dust in bulk powder processing plants can result in many different health problems. Dust hazards include eye irritation, nasal dryness and obstruction, headaches, dermatitis, occupational asthma, eczema and severe allergic reactions for your workers. Plus, concentrations of dust particles in the air can explode if ignited.

Bulk material processing plants typically use a dust control system, such as a baghouse dust collector, to capture and manage dust, and reduce dust hazards. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), however, recommend using whole-plant ventilation to supplement existing dust control equipment in order to reduce dust levels.

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