AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

FOCUS ON:FOOD PROCESSING

Companies in the food processing industry take raw agricultural products (such as grains) and turn them into the food products that we eat everyday (like bread and cereal). Dust collection

applications can include dried food ingredients from coarse grains to fine spices and additives.

FOCUS ON:FOOD PROCESSING

Common Food Dust Collection Challenges• Cereal ingredients

• Spices

• Feed and raw grain agricultural

products

• Egg shell and dust

Special considerations:• Allergens

• Flours

• Corn starches

A clean food processing facility is vital for worker and visitor safety. Slips and falls are a constant concern for anyone running a food processing business. Keeping fugitive dust contained minimizes slippery floors. Some food ingredients are allergens, another serious concern for those who are affected. Airborne allergen particles could cause serious illness and even death if ingested continuously or at high levels.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Flours, corn starch and other starches can

be explosive. In these applications, dust collectors

should be expertly fitted with explosion vents

to meet NFPA requirements.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS The dangers of combustible dust explosions in the food industry have been known for many

years, however the only applicable OSHA legislation has been geared toward grain dust.

Here are two industry articles on this subject:

• Food Engineering web site article: New Regulations for combustible Dust Explosions

• Reliable Plant web site article: The Hazard of Combustible Dust

Does Your Food Processing Dust Collection System Comply with Combustible Dust Standards?

Download this white paper which reviews the OSHA National Emphasis Program for combustible dust, the NFPA standards that address how to prevent or limit

explosion hazards, how to identify these hazards, and the types of equipment used for explosion protection.

It will also examine the most common shortfalls to compliance and how to avoid them. Be safe!