SAFER Combustible Dust Pilot Project:

An Exercise in Awareness

NEVER AGAIN - Since the 2012 dust explosions in the northern interior, combustible dust is on everyone’s radar and the BC Forest Industry is taking it seriously and so have their employees mostly represented by the United Steelworkers (USW). Joint Health & Safety Committee can help if they are provided the tools and training.

LOOKING AHEAD - A SAFER Combustible Dust Advisor will offer training on combustible dust management and assist your Joint Health & Safety Committee to better understand what you need to do to with respect to combustible dust mitigation and control. The SAFER Combustible Dust Advisor will help to identify where wood dust might accumulate both in close proximity to typical primary and secondary machine centres, and where wood dust accumulates away from the processes that produce the dust. These might be in the general work area, in concealed areas like attics, false ceilings, crawl spaces, electrical panels and wall spaces, and within the various components of the dust collection system.

LEADING THE WAY - During recent forest industry collective bargaining, the negotiating parties recognized an opportunity to further involve employees—USW members—in efforts to control combustible  dust in the workplace. As a result, SAFER Combustible Dust Advisors have been selected from four regions in the BC Southern Interior and BC Coast. These individuals were selected to receive combustible dust recognition training for their role as SAFER Combustible Dust Advisors based on their involvement as safety advocates within their operations and a Occupational Health & Safety Committee background.

INVOLVING JOINT HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEES - The SAFER Combustible Dust Advisor Pilot Project was created to promote awareness and compliance of the evolving dust standards for the purpose of enhancing safety and productivity.  And involvement of the Joint Health & Safety Committee is paramount. Committee involvement will enhance their knowledge base on combustible dust management and will promote a sense of meaningful participation with regard to combustible dust mitigation and control.

MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE PROCESS IMPORTANT - A management of change policy should be implemented in all lumber manufacturing operations handling combustible dust and be understood by Joint Health & Safety Committee members. The goal of the Joint Health & Safety Committee is to make sure that no change occurs that could increase the severity or consequence of an existing dust hazard or introduce a dust hazard where none previously existed. SAFER Combustible Dust Advisors will also urge Joint Health & Safety Committees to become familiar with the resources offered by Fire Inspection & Prevention Initiative (FIPI) which offers education on the science behind combustible dust explosions and the steps that can be taken to mitigate and/or control combustible dust a its source.

Combustible Dust Management Assessment Matrix For Sawmill Operations

Purpose of Guidelines

Provide a structure to follow when examining lumber manufacturing operations for accumulations of primary and/or secondary combustible dust (CD) in a way that draws attention to instances that require attention and gives feedback when positive cleanup practices are observed.

These guidelines represent a starting place for ad-hoc combustible dust management assessments and do not represent the entire scope of a combustible dust regulatory inspection.

Ground Level Combustible Dust Management Assessment

• Walk inside the sawmill and move through the basement area in a circular fashion while making a mental note on general condition for the purposes of determining the cleanup frequency
• Observe general condition of basement floor between chain run conveyors
• Check for CD on wall stringer ledges that support exterior wall cladding, and on the top of any exposed beams and stringers that support the production floor above
• Check for CD accumulation on any fixed or suspended lighting
• Check for CD on tops of MCC units and observe any passive dust shielding
• Check for CD on top on any mechanical or electrical rooms
• Look in any mechanical, electrical, or storage rooms for general condition cleanup and accumulations of CD and surrounding ignition sources
• Check for CD on elevated equipment drive unit platforms and possible ignition sources
• Check for CD on any elevated electrical cable tray runs
• Check for CD on fire protection sprinkler system pipes
• Look for and inspect the general conditions of any dust conveyance ducting
• Check any cleanup air wands/hoses for pressure control devices – proper labeling

Production Level Combustible Dust Management Assessment

• Start where the production process begins and follow the production process throughout the operation; i.e. – log cut-off saws or debarkers
• Make a mental note on general condition for the purposes of determining the cleanup frequency
• Check for CD on wall stringer ledges that support exterior wall cladding, and on the top of any exposed beams and stringers that support the ceiling
• Check for CD accumulation on any fixed or suspended lighting
• Observe general condition of cleanup from  elevated walkways and descend to each work station for closer inspection for CD
• Check for CD on tops of MCC units near work stations and observe any passive dust shielding
• Check for CD on top on any electrical rooms and operator booths
• Look in any electrical, or storage rooms for general condition cleanup and accumulations of CD and surrounding ignition sources
• Check for CD on production equipment drive units and possible ignition sources
• Check for CD on any elevated electrical cable tray runs
• Check for CD on fire protection sprinkler system pipes
• Look for and inspect the general conditions of any ducted extraction systems that remove dust from operator booth and/or electrical MCC units and/or electrical room dust – check filters
• Check any cleanup air wands/hoses for pressure control devices – proper labeling

Upper Level Combustible Dust Management Assessment (Filing Room)

• Make a mental note on general condition for the purposes of determining the cleanup frequency
• Check for CD on wall stringer ledges that support exterior wall cladding, and on the top of any exposed beams and stringers that support the roof
• Check for CD accumulation on any fixed or suspended lighting
• Look for and inspect the general conditions of any ducted extraction systems on grinders and ensure that metal grindings extraction systems are separate from dust extraction systems – all grinders are possible ignition sources
• Look for floor debris pick-up ducting and check for tramp metal magnets – ask for frequency of cleaning magnets
• Check for CD on top on any separated work rooms (babbitt room), electrical rooms, and/or storage rooms
• Look in any separated work rooms (babbitt room), electrical rooms, and/or storage rooms for general condition cleanup and accumulations of CD and surrounding ignition sources
• Check for CD on the top of grinding units and in saw storage area
• Check for CD on any elevated electrical cable tray runs
• Check for CD on fire protection sprinkler system pipes
• Check any vacuum cleaner units to ensure they are rated for extraction of combustible dust
• Check any cleanup air wands/hoses for pressure control devices – proper labeling

More SAFER Combustible Dust Advisor Resources 

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