BAKERY STAPLES CAN BE AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE FOR FOOD INDUSTRY

Fatal dust explosions in UK food factories are extremely rare thanks to the combination of stringent safety measures introduced over the years, designed to eliminate or control the risks from explosive atmospheres in the workplace, plus the availability of high quality equipment to help meet those obligations. However, there is no room for complacency. Despite legislation in place to safeguard against dust explosions – it has been illegal since July 2003 to install non-ATEX certified equipment for use in hazardous atmospheres – they still happen even with ingredients as apparently benign as sugar and flour. Around 10 cases are reported to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) every year, each incident having the potential of causing loss of life and serious injuries, as well as the significant cost incurred by the interruption to production, structural damage and possible fines for health and safety breaches. Globally, the most recent deadly explosion occurred in the United States in 2008 when 14 people were killed and over 40 injured due to a blast at the Imperial Sugar Refinery at Port Wentworth, Georgia. This was a disaster reportedly caused by static electricity igniting fine sugar dust that had become too dry. As the tragedy in the USA proves, in certain workplace conditions sugar can be a very flammable ingredient – just think how easy it is to caramelise a crème brûlée or flame a marshmallow – whilst all flours contain starch, which is a complex carbohydrate made from glucose molecules chained together, also almost always highly flammable. Shifting millions of tonnes of these everyday – but surprisingly dangerous – ingredients is part and parcel of the production process for sectors such as bakery, dairy and beverages, who must have systems and equipment in place that adhere to the European Union’s ATEX Directive 1999/92/E, which has been implemented by the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) act in the UK. These regulations require that employers classify places where explosive atmospheres, such as in the form of combustible dust generated by flour milling and sugar grinding, is likely to occur, implement protective measures and select appropriate equipment for use in those environments. Spiroflow Ltd is a world-leading manufacturer of ATEX approved conveying and bulk handling systems that meet regulatory requirements for transporting and handling powders and other materials in environments containing a potentially explosive atmosphere, such as sugar storage areas or flour silos. Although ultimately it is the responsibility of food manufacturers to ensure that the factory or working environment is safe, Spiroflow is well aware of the potential dangers that can arise due to dusty atmospheres and is quick to point out that the key safety ethos for all conveying, handling and weighing equipment should be explosion prevention. The company has supplied many of the UK’s global food companies with ATEX rated equipment. All manufacturers must take into account the potentially dangerous elements that could exist in a food factory environment, such as: • Secondary explosion types • Control of dust in the work area • Dust explosion and prevention and protection • Thermal decomposition properties • Fire and combustion properties • Dust cloud characteristics • Dust explosion classification • Minimum ignition energy • External ignition sources • Internal ignition sources Chairman of Spiroflow, Michel Podevyn, explained: “Individual risk assessments must be carried out by companies, but we recognise that they need to be guided through the maze of ATEX/DSEAR regulations and how they apply to certain situations. Making sure that conveyors and bulk bag handling equipment are not over-specified and therefore not more costly than they need to be is also key. We specialise in powder handling and our knowledge of all the hazards associated with finely divided materials is second to none.” Spiroflow’s Atex compliant conveyors, bulk bag dischargers and fillers incorporate venting systems and dust prevention features to help food companies maintain good cleaning routines. Flexible screw conveyors are ideal for sugar and flour because of their inherent construction. No friction heat build-up takes place as the UHMWPE conveying tube has a low coefficient of friction and allows the spiral to rotate easily. The external tube surfaces do not have a charging mechanism in normal operation. However, anti-static tubes are available from Spiroflow for materials sensitive to low energy discharges. Full Atex compliance is also behind the upgrade of one of Spiroflow’s most popular weigh fillers for pallet handled bags – the C1. Ideal for low to medium volume use where bulk bags filled on pallets are moved by forklift truck, the new C1 facilitates dust-free, accurate filling of up to 20 bulk bags per hour. Boasting modular construction for ease of modification, the new C1 now features automatic height adjustment for different sized bags. Its inflatable neck seal ensures a dust-free environment and removing the filled bags has been made even speedier with the addition of a roller conveyor to complement the automatic bag loop release facility. Mr Podevyn explained: “Many millions of bulk bags, with a capacity from 500kg to 1500kg, are sold worldwide every year, making them one of the most convenient, cost-effective methods of packaging, storage and transport. Food customers use bulk bags, and hence require the best equipment that meet their health and safety obligations when filling and discharging often fragile or fine-particle products quickly and with the minimum of fuss.” Spiroflow manufactures a range of Flexible Screw Conveyors, Aero Mechanical Conveyors, Tubular Cable and Chain Drag Conveyors, Vacuum Conveyors, Bulk Bag Dischargers, Bulk Bag Fillers, Ingredients Handling and Weighing Systems. The company’s technical and engineering expertise has led to it developing an international reputation for an unrivalled range of products with state-of-the-art control systems.