All combustible materials can burn rapidly when in a finely divided form. If these materials are suspended in air in the right concentration, under certain conditions, they can explode. Even materials that do not burn in larger pieces (such as aluminum or iron) can be explosive in dust form, given the proper conditions.
For these cleaning services, please seek out a professional company that specifically provides these services to eliminate this risk. The contractors employees need to be trained on how to handle these materials and use the right equipment with that will not create static or spark during the removal.
A wide variety of materials can be explosive in dust form. Some examples include:
- food (e.g., candy, sugar, spice, starch, flour, and feed)
- grain
- tobacco
- plastics
- wood
- paper
- pulp
- rubber
- furniture
- textiles
- pesticides
- pharmaceutical
- dyes
- coal
- metals (e.g., aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium, and zinc)
Start the process by contacting a certified Industrial Hygienist to come into your facility and conduct a DHA (dust hazard analysis) to see if your dust is combustible. If in fact it is, be sure to schedule your next cleaning with a proven contractor that is equipped to properly and safely handle remove and dispose of your waste to ensure a safer workplace.