Combustible Dust
STEP provides air monitoring specifically geared toward identifying whether or not combustible dust is present in high enough concentrations to be a fire / explosion risk. Monitoring results are provided in a final report, and can be integrated into an industrial hygiene (IH) management plan. STEP also assists clients in development and maintenance of their company’s IH plan to ensure regulatory compliance.
Combustible dust is any fine material with the capability of igniting or exploding when mixed with air. This can include anything from metal dust to organic materials like flour, sugar, wood, etc. and some nonmetallic, inorganic materials. In many cases where the root of an industrial explosion has been attributed to combustible dust, the company involved had either not known the potential existed or had neglected monitoring which could have indicated the risk.