2. Conditions required for dust explosions to occur
A number of conditions must exist simultaneously for a dust
explosion to occur:
2.1. Dust must be combustible
The first stage of a dust explosion hazard assessment is to
determine whether the dust will explode when dispersed as
a cloud. The combustibility of a dust cloud can be assessed by
conducting an “Explosion Classification Test” on a representative
sample of the dust. In this laboratory test the observation of flame
propagation determines whether or not a suspended dust is capable
of initiating and sustaining an explosion.
It should be noted that as far as dust clouds are concerned, the
terms “combustible”, “flammable”, and “explosible” all have the
same meaning and can be used interchangeably.