We had lots of walk throughs in our shop Fire, insurance, insurance consultants, etc.
A lot of times it’s interpretation of the cited regulation. Our big dust collectors are outside but small bagged units are inside.
What they are seeing is the Georgia sugarcane explosion in front of them laid out. Open motors, bearings, surface dust and a flash fire that could be catastrophic. The enclosure of said unit and fire dampers could keep it to a small roar
Source and prevention of ignition is a big, big concern Read NFPA 664 and it’s pointing toward the owners responsibility to prevent ignition with a design that minimizes the threat of one.
The reality is housekeeping, flammable storage, egress, lighting and up to date extinguishers with good labeling.
How many minutes could an enclosed room of flame resistant mdf or two layers of rock give you to get out if you had a fire in the dust collector ? Could you build a room/closet with a damper on a fusible link that would cut off oxygen to the room. Could you put a ceiling extinguisher up there that could spread retardant ?
We just changed carriers and the pictures they took that they wanted corrective action were alarming and embarrassing. Our shop had never looked that, but it did on the day they took the pictures. We now have pictures posted how an area must look at all times.
Unfortunately as the owner I have to slow up the shop and pay for housekeeping.
We just had a tornado talk and where to go in such emergency. If I buy the building we will be building a rated shelter in the building
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