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.

Chemical Processing offers three approaches for implementing ISD in new and existing plants:

1. An inherent safety analysis of a process using an ISD checklist
2. An independent Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) for a plant focusing on ISD
3. A complete PHA of the plant with ISD considerations fully incorporated into the PHA discussions

Looking to improve plant safety even further?

One area often overlooked by bulk powder processing plants is outdated hose clamps and flexible connections. Old-fashioned hose clamps are likely to fail in the event of an internal dust explosion. By replacing hose clamps with the BFM® fitting, plants can significantly reduce this risk and enhance plant safety. The BFM® fitting expands with the sudden pressure shock, but the internal snap band seal does not fail.

Discover more about the BFM® fitting and its plant safety benefits.

What is Inherent Safer Design (ISD), and how can I implement it to ensure plant safety? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

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Using outdated hose clamps and flexible sleeves, time spent taking down and cleaning equipment can be significant – not to mention the time spent cleaning up any resulting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

On top of that, manual installation of equipment presents a slew of safety concerns:

1. Operators must climb a ladder carrying tools, which endanger employees and equipment below.

2. Operator have to reach to tighten clamps, which presents potential safety and ergonomic issues.

3. Operators could slice or puncture their hands with the tools.

One solution solves all of these issues. By replacing old-fashioned hose clamps with the BFM® fitting, plants can enhance efficiency by significantly reducing time spent maintaining equipment.

The BFM® fitting:

• Requires no tools to install, saving time and eliminating safety concerns
• Snaps perfectly into place in just 40 seconds, regardless of the operator’s experience
• Comprises two basic elements: the flexible sleeve with top and bottom snap bands, and two matched spigots

The improved plant efficiency afforded by the BFM® fitting directly translates to the bottom line.

Check out this BFM® fitting video to see firsthand how the connector system can be installed in less than 40 seconds.

How can I reduce maintenance downtime and improve plant efficiency? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

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:

• Use appropriate electrical equipment and wiring methods

• Control static electricity

• 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 and heating systems from dusts

• Proper use and type of industrial trucks and cartridge activated tools

• Adequately maintain all the above equipment

One area often overlooked are the flexible connections on process equipment. For bulk powder processing plants, hose clamps are likely to fail in the event of an internal dust explosion. In controlled tests by an independent lab, slow motion video revealed the BFM® fitting expands with the sudden pressure shock, but the internal snap band seal does not fail. Designed for food and dairy facilities to stop powder leakage, the BFM® fitting has the potential to improve safety in a wide range of industrial applications and industries.

Discover more about the BFM® fitting and its safety benefits.

What measures can bulk powder processing plants take to prevent dust explosions? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

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

If you are processing any of these food allergens, such as lactose and peanut residue, on the same bulk powder processing line, you are at risk for cross-contamination.

With traditional flexible sleeves held by hose clamps, powder buildup and leakage are common issues that can increase the risk of cross-contamination. The BFM® fitting ensures a smooth crevice-free connection. Powder does not become trapped in the connector, minimizing the chance for cross-contamination. The snap band design forms a perfect seal, and allows the flexible sleeve to easily be removed for cleaning without requiring tools. Also, the dust tight seal prevents powder from leaking into the atmosphere.

Discover more about how the BFM® fitting can help prevent cross contamination.

Should bulk powder processing plants be concerned with preventing cross contamination of allergens? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

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.

Powder Bulk Solids magazine offers several other methods for reducing dust hazards:

1. Use the appropriate housekeeping measures to eliminate or minimize combustible-dust accumulation.

2. Install equipment grounding and appropriately rated electrical systems to eliminate or minimize static-electricity buildup, and regularly inspect the systems to make sure they are running properly.

3. Ensure equipment is vented to safely discharge combustion products from a dust explosion to the atmosphere.

4. Use equipment isolation barriers to prevent a primary dust explosion from becoming a more severe secondary event. Solutions may include rotary airlocks, screw conveyors, mechanical isolation barriers and chemical isolation barriers.

5. Implement equipment suppression to detect a dust explosion before it happens and extinguish it using the appropriate quenching agents.

Another method for reducing dust hazards in a powder processing plant is the use of the BFM® fitting to replace old fashioned flexible sleeves held with hose clamps. Sleeves held by clamps can contribute to a dusty plant environment and increase the risk of dust explosions, both primary and secondary. The BFM® fitting is dust-tight, plus it seals even tighter from explosion pressure shock. In controlled explosion trials by an independent lab, the BFM® fitting was compared with sleeves held with hose clamps. The BFM® fitting remained intact at higher explosion pressures, long after hose clamps had failed.

Discover more on how the BFM® fitting can reduce the presence of dust and the risk of explosions.

What health effects can dust exposure have on workers in my bulk powder processing plant? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom