With updated deadlines and pages of information to sift through, it can be a lengthy process to make heads or tails of how new NFPA standards will apply to your plant or facility. This is the nature of the beast - creating standards for fire prevention across several industries is no easy task, and no stone should be left unturned when it comes to the prevention of combustible dust.
With this in mind, AZO has created a new infographic to explain exactly how NFPA 652 and the new 2020 edition of NFPA 61 relate to the ingredient handling world. The sleek graphic covers specifically what has changed in the 2020 edition of NFPA 61, key facts to keep in mind for a dust hazards analysis (DHA) and even steps to perform this critical evaluation.
Chuck Kerwin, general manager of AZO Inc., said that the underlying concern of the NFPA standards is to set a clear guideline for plant safety.
“In these days and times, any effort to improve plant safety is an important socially-conscious move,” Kerwin said. “Keeping employees safe is everyone’s primary responsibility.”
Although the NFPA has no enforcement power to directly carry out these standards, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) reference them in other regulations. Kerwin also mentioned other benefits to performing a dust hazards analysis.
“It’s good information to identify where you may have a potential problem and what you may need to think about in setting next year’s budget,” Kerwin said.
The new infographic from AZO illustrates the upcoming 2020 deadline for NFPA 652 and the later deadline for NFPA 61 on an animated “timeline.” Kerwin hopes that the expertise and knowledge from AZO will help people sort out the rules and regulations of the NFPA.
“The NFPA standards are often difficult to interpret, and unless you have the time to go through and review them in detail, they’re not the easiest things to find quick information,” Kerwin said. “They tend to be written by lawyers instead of engineers.”
AZO, Inc. engineers, builds and installs components and complete systems for bulk material handling requirements. A wholly-owned subsidiary of AZO GmbH, the company supports U.S. customers with technical support from its Memphis location and rapid parts delivery. AZO equipment is used in companies ranging from small, family-owned businesses through the world’s best known industrial and consumer products companies. AZO equipment is widely used in industries including food, snack, bakery, chemical, plastics, confectionery and pharmaceutical. More info about our company, as well as common questions related to the world of ingredient handling, can be answered on our company blog at bigbagunloading.com/blog.