First-Step Assessment

In the First-Step Assessment, we go on-site to conduct a high-level assessment of operations. Our experienced engineer will walk through the operations and talk to employees managing and handling combustible dust. We will provide a list of samples to take, tests to conduct, and the first tasks to complete toward compliance, as needed. The engineer will spend 4-6 hours on-site reviewing operations and talking to employees. The learnings from the first step assessment will provide input to a dust hazard analysis.

For complex facilities handling various combustible dusts in multiple unit operations, knowing where to begin can be the toughest part.

This high-level review provides a roadmap to compliance with current recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice (RAGAGEP) for facilities handling combustible dust (NFPA 652). The current RAGAGEP outlines four ongoing activities for managing hazards:

1. Determine the combustibility and explosibility hazards of materials
2. Identify and assess fire, flash fire, and explosion hazards
3. Manage the identified hazards
4. Communicate the hazards to affected personnel