Zirconium
13.1 General Provisions.
13.1.1 Retroactivity. The requirements of 13.1.2 through
13.1.5 shall apply to new and existing facilities.
13.1.2 Housekeeping.
13.1.2.1 Combustible materials in zirconium storage, han- dling, and processing areas shall be minimized. Zirconium storage areas shall be well-ventilated, shall be equipped with required fire protection equipment as specified, and shall be plainly marked with “No Smoking” signs.
13.1.2.2 Smoking, when permitted, shall be located in desig- nated areas outside of buildings.
13.1.2.3 Sludge from dust collectors and vacuum cleaning system precipitators shall be removed weekly as a minimum and when equipment is shut down after use.
13.1.2.4 See 15.2.2 for additional requirements.
13.1.2.5 Cleaning methods shall be limited to those methods that minimize the probability of causing a fire or explosion, as determined by a person knowledgeable in the properties of zirconium dust.
13.1.2.6 Due to the inherent hazards associated with the use of fixed vacuum cleaning systems for finely divided zirconium dust, special engineering considerations shall be given to the design, installation, maintenance, and use of such systems.
13.1.2.7 To prevent potential explosions caused by the inad- vertent use of high-pressure compressed air in place of low- pressure inert gas, fittings used on outlets of compressed-air and inert-gas lines shall not be interchangeable.
13.1.2.8 Regular, periodic cleaning of zirconium dust and fines from buildings and machinery, including roof members, pipes, conduits, and so on, shall be carried out as frequently as conditions warrant, based on visual inspections.
13.1.2.8.1 Dust and fines shall be removed to a safe storage or disposal area.
13.1.2.8.2 Potential ignition sources associated with the op- eration of equipment during the cleaning operation shall be reviewed, and appropriate actions to isolate, eliminate or minimize the potential hazards shall be taken.
13.1.2.8.3 The review of the hazards associated with cleaning operations shall include isolation, minimization, and elimina- tion of the hazards.