Dust Archives

Beware: Flour Can Explode! Understanding the Dangers and Science Behind Dust Explosions

Oxfordshire, UK – A factory explosion in 1981 at a General Foods Ltd. plant in Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK, shed light on the dangers of dust explosions, particularly in facilities that handle dry foods such as custard powder. The incident occurred due to an overfilled bin of cornstarch, leading to a cloud of starch igniting and causing injuries to workers along with extensive damage to the factory building. The explosion at the factory underscored the hazards …

Grain Dust Explosions in 2023: Midwest Industry Impact and Prevention Efforts

West Lafayette, Indiana – The annual summary of nationwide grain dust explosions revealed nine incidents in the United States in 2023, resulting in 12 injuries but fortunately no fatalities. According to Kingsly Ambrose, a Purdue University professor of agricultural and biological engineering, dust explosions pose a serious threat in the grain industry, leading to significant financial and personal losses from downtime, repair, injuries, and fatalities. In the Midwest region, where all the explosions occurred, most …

Dust Explosion in Chinese Workshop Claims Eight Lives, Investigation Underway

NANJING, China – A tragic dust explosion in a production workshop in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China has resulted in the confirmed deaths of eight people. The explosion occurred early Saturday morning at the facility of Changzhou Shenrong metal sci-tech co., ltd. in Wujin District, with eight others sustaining minor injuries, as reported by the district’s emergency management department. The incident took place at 3:38 a.m. local time, leading to a devastating aftermath that prompted …

Chemical Safety Board Urges OSHA to Strengthen Rules for Combustible Dust after Fatal Explosion at Dry Corn Mill

Washington, WI – The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has emphasized the need for stricter regulations concerning combustible dust following a fatal explosion at the Didion Milling dry corn mill in Cambria, WI. CSB’s final report on the May 2017 incident, which claimed the lives of five workers and injured 14 others, found that the company had neglected to implement necessary safety measures to prevent the explosion. According to CSB investigators, Didion Milling failed to develop …