WorkSafeBC is developing a new regulation for managing combustible dust hazards in British Columbia, aimed at addressing emerging concerns and improving existing combustible dust standards.
The proposed amendments to Part 6 of B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) build upon the existing provisions while introducing specific dust-related regulations to address other types of dust hazards, such as agricultural products, plastic particulates and metal dust. This new regulation will replace the three existing WCA policies related to wood dust mitigation that have been in effect since 2012.
The new regulation will focus on combustible dusts handled or generated within the workspace through particle separation, transfer and particle size reduction operations, among other processes. The goal is to identify and manage the risks associated with these materials and corresponding processes.
Thus, the proposed regulation will require organizations to proactively address safety concerns, mitigate risks, and foster a culture of safety through implementing combustible material testing, risk assessments, and dust management programs.
Conduct Combustible Dust Testing
Understanding your hazard level requires first determining whether the dusts in your facility are combustible. Under the regulation, if your workplace handles or generates dust, you must assume it is ignitable and deflagrable unless (1) a test following a prescribed method or (2) objective data from a prescribed testing method shows the dust is not combustible.
Combustible dust testing can be performed by qualified experts in a combustion laboratory to obtain material-specific explosion severity and ignition sensitivity parameters. Labs can also research and provide objective data from the literature to help determine if the sample is combustible dust.
Perform a Dust Hazard Analysis
The proposed regulation also requires a risk assessment, specifically in consultation with a qualified person. Under B.C.’s OSHR 1.1, a qualified person is “knowledgeable of the work, the hazards involved and the means to control the hazards, by reason of education, training, [and] experience.” In other words, to comply with this regulation, a risk assessment should be done in consultation with an expert who specializes in combustible dust hazards.
A risk assessment should consider the characteristics of the dust, as well as the scale, complexity of the operation, and the machinery and equipment. To address the need for a risk assessment, a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) consisting of a systematic review of the processes and operations can help identify and reduce potential fire, flash fire or explosive hazards associated with combustible dust.
A DHA can identify process equipment and facility locations where fire and explosion hazards exist, evaluate the existing safeguards and controls, and offer recommendations to mitigate potential hazards. It should also include an equipment-specific hazard analysis, building hazard evaluations stemming from combustible dust applications, and a review of management systems related to administrative protocols or controls aimed at managing fire, deflagration, and explosion hazards.
Implement a Combustible Dust Management Program
Under the proposed regulation, a combustible dust management program (CDMP) must be developed and implemented after the risk assessment is completed to ensure that potential hazards are addressed. Further, the CDMP should be developed by the employer in consultation with a qualified person.
Programs should consider the recommendations from the risk assessment, including explosion vent sizing calculation/verification, third-party explosion suppression system design verification, equipment enclosure strength evaluation, and developing hazardous area classification studies.
A combustible dust management program should also include front-line staff training to promote a culture of safety and compliance. This includes educating them on the basics of combustible dust hazards, prevention and mitigation, ignition source control, electrical hazards, explosion protection, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Ensure Your Facility’s Safety and Compliance
Jensen Hughes can help ensure your facility is safe in its handling of combustible dust and in compliance with the new WorkSafeBC regulation. Along with performing combustible dust testing in our state-of-the-art laboratory, our expert consultants can provide a Dust Hazard Analysis report with actionable recommendations to support your CDMP, as well as dust hazard training for front-line staff.
We work as one team to address the complexities of safety and security to help workplaces protect their workers and property. Learn more about Jensen Hughes’ Combustible Dust Safety Services.
