QEHSRisk
Combustible Dust Explosion
An explosion triggered by airborne combustible dust particles in an enclosed space.
The "dust pentagon" requires: combustible dust, ignition source, oxygen, dispersion, and confinement. Common dusts: wood, grain, sugar, metal, coal, plastic. NFPA 652 (Fundamentals) and commodity-specific standards (NFPA 61, 484, 654, 655, 664) govern. OSHA NEP targets grain handling, food processing, and wood products. Primary explosions often trigger more devastating secondary explosions.