Industrial Vacuum Blog

Resources to keep your plant and your people safe
|Worker Safety

Pulp and Paper: Understanding Combustible Dust Risks (Part 2)

March 7, 2013   1:41 pm
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Manufacturing 9 million tons of pulp annually, U.S. pulp, paper and paperboard mills produce large amounts of dust that settle on equipment and facility structure surfaces (see OSHA’s Safety & Health Topics). Combustible dust is any finely divided solid material that is 420 microns or smaller in diameter and presents a fire or explosion hazard ... Read More   >

Pulp and Paper: Improve Employee Health with Dust Control (Part 1)

February 25, 2013   10:55 am
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Paper product manufacturing facilities see their fair share of dust. Over the years, mill workers have complained of respiratory symptoms like chronic cough, chest tightness and wheezing and blame their prolonged exposure to paper dust for these health issues. In 2008, nearly 500 mail industry employees signed a petition blaming their ill health conditions, such ... Read More   >

What’s new with Combustible Dust?

February 12, 2013   9:19 am
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Nilfisk Industrial Vacuums has been watching and posting about the Combustible Dust issue since 2008. FIVE years! But, there has been plenty to say. Combustible Dust standards, events and unfortunate fires are happening every day. Below, we’ve compiled a list of recent resources and news. OSHA’s New Standard – It’s really happening! From the Convergence ... Read More   >

Grain Mills: Combustible Dust Housekeeping (Part 3)

February 6, 2013   1:12 pm
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The potential for explosions to occur from dust collections made of flour, sugar, cinnamon or grain particles, for example, poses a significant risk to employee safety, facility maintenance and food purity. Traditional plant maintenance methods like sweeping and blowing down with compressed air only make the situation worse by spreading the explosive dust around and ... Read More   >

Grain Mills: Beyond Dust, Spill Response Takes Priority (Part 2)

January 29, 2013   11:47 am
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Food manufacturers are faced with many types of obstacles when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. While dust and general maintenance are well-known challenges for milling facilities, by-products of production like liquids and oils create hazardous conditions on and around processing equipment. Municipal sewer discharge, vegetable oils and other wet materials can create slippery conditions and ... Read More   >
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