Fire and explosion

What you need to know

Outside of a building with a number of wall panels blown off

Wood dust can cause fire and explosion. The minimum explosible concentration for "wood flour" is 60g/m3 and a dust cloud at this concentration would resemble a very dense fog.

What you need to do

Fire damage around an extraction pipe Fire crew attending explosion site

Fires in woodworking extraction systems (Photographs courtesy of West Yorkshire Fire Service)

Many fires start in the extraction system, so it should be constructed such that sources of ignition, fire and explosion are removed. Consideration should also be given to the location of the fan and air cleaner.

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Updated 2021-07-06