Wood Pellet Dust Fire Non-Issue?

A New England wood pellet manufacturer experiences a second dust related fire in two weeks. In the prior fire, an ignition source from the pellet mill caught pellets on fire and subsequently the conveyor feeding wood pellets to the outside silo also caught fire. The fire in the silo smoldered for over a day.

Last month a similar combustible dust related fire at a wood pellet plant occurred at Westwood Fibre Products in Kelowna, British Columbia in which the conveyors were ablaze with wood pellets. The fire chief who responded to the Westwood fire seems to concur regarding a non-issue with such fires when he stated to the news reporter that, 'of course being a wood fibre plant with dust and sawdust it's not uncommon to have small fires in these types of operations."

From viewing the above picture, it wasn’t much of a non-issue, when last year in Monticello, WI, Risley Pellet Solutions exploded, injuring two workers. Over the last six weeks in Marion, PA., AJ Stoves and Pellets, has experienced hopper explosions twice due to combustible dust. Since there were no fatalities or three or more injuries, it's like the tree fell in the forest, yet no one heard it. So did the tree fall?

It's highly advisable that all wood pellet manufacturers install spark detection and extinguishment systems adjacent to their conveyors. If that is to expensive, then at least shutdown the conveyor at the first sign of fire so burning pellets will not enter the adjacent bulk storage unit.

As a matter of any fire occurring where combustible particulate solids are handled, you be the judge of whether it is a non-issue or not. Hopefully the prior examples will add light to the subject in whether preventative and mitigative measures should be implemented according the the NFPA combustible dust standards.

Recent Wood Pellet Mfg. Explosions and Fires

8/22/08-AJ Stoves & Pellets- dust explosion/hopper
8/15/08 Corinth Wood Pellets- fire/sawdust dryer
8/10/08 New England Wood Pellets- fire/pellet mill
7/15/08-AJ Stoves & Pellets- dust explosion/hopper
5/20/08 Corinth Wood Pellets- fire/exterior burner

Photo Credit: Monticello Fire & Rescue

Multiple Repeat Wood Pellet Plant Fires

http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=168495&zoneid=164

After a three month respite from a previous combustible dust related fire, Corinth Wood Pellets experiences another fire. The last fire caused thousands of dollars worth of damage. Currently there is no OSHA record in the IMIS database that the facility had been inspected previously since the last incident. With only 12 highly dedicated and professional OSHA safety inspectors alloted for the entire state of Maine, it should not be expected that OSHA can inspect over 1,8oo manufacturing facilities on a regular reoccurring basis.

The Pellet Fuels Institute lists 24 wood pellet manufacturing facilities amongst it's membership on the east coast. Since May 2008, over 10% of east coast membership facilities have experienced fires. Additionally, last month AJ Stoves & Pellets, located in Marion, PA, not a member of PFI, experienced a dust explosion in their hopper. With these plants operating at 100% capacity, future combustible dust related fires and explosions are occurring at a rapidly alarming rate.

OSHA resources are already strained and less than 10% of the nations manufacturing plants are inspected with the unique NAICS in the wood pellet industry. Would local fire marshal inspections lessen the number of incidents while at the same time reduce the severity of combustible dust related fires and explosions? A community in New Zealand offers an excellent alternative to fire safety concerning commercial buildings, utilizing fire inspectors. Can we do the same in the United States instead of tasking OSHA to enforce building fire safety?

Recent Explosions and Fires

8/22/08-AJ Stoves & Pellets- dust explosion/hopper
8/15/08 Corinth Wood Pellets- fire/sawdust dryer
8/10/08 New England Wood Pellets- fire/pellet mill
7/15/08-AJ Stoves & Pellets- dust explosion/hopper
5/20/08 Corinth Wood Pellets- fire/exterior burner