Explosion Prevention and Protection in the Sugar Industry

Handling powdered sugar carries an explosion risk because of its combustible nature

Sugar manufacturing carries a significant explosion risk because combustible dust is generated at several stages of the process.

To ensure safety in these facilities, a thorough Explosion Risk Assessment must be carried out. The resulting risk level is the starting point for deciding which measures are needed to reduce those risks.

In some cases, it may be enough to implement prevention measures, aimed mainly at reducing the likelihood of explosive atmospheres (ATEX) and/or effective ignition sources. But if the risk level remains after these measures, protection measures will also be required.

In a sugar facility, the main explosion hazards are found in two pieces of equipment: the bucket elevator and the baghouse dust collector of the dust extraction system.

Download our INFORMATION GUIDE (in Spanish) with information on the applicable regulations and the recommended explosion prevention and protection measures for the sugar industry.