Explosion Prevention and Protection

Burning cloud of dust

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The effects of a flour dust explosion
Source: DGUV

The section "Explosion Prevention and Protection" of the department Hazardous Substances: Handling - Protective Measures is concerned with all questions of explosion prevention and protection at workplaces in companies, especially in the field of dust explosions. Handling combustible dusts is often associated with dust explosion () hazards. This concerns both dust and fibrous products such as aluminium powder, powdered sugar, wheat flour or polyamide flock (useful dusts) and waste dusts, such as those that are generated in processing or due to the abrasion of handling combustible solids. The unit's focal points are:

  • Consulting
    Key task is consulting the German accident insurance institutions and their member companies in questions of explosion prevention and protection. The aim is to identify their respective hazards and associated risks and to eliminate or minimize them to an acceptable level.
  • Combustion and explosion charecteristics of dusts
    Combustion and explosion characteristics of dusts are determined in the dust explosion laboratory. The lion's share of the results can be included in the GESTIS-DUST-EX database database. These data are a useful benchmark in practice.

Further reading on dust explosions

Contact

Dr Susanne Causemann

Hazardous substances: handling, protective measures

Tel: +49 30 13001-3350
Fax: +49 30 13001-38001