Boom! Risks and Hazards With Combustible Dust | 100th Episode
In this monumental 100th episode of the Environmental Transformation Podcast, host Sean Grady dives into the critical issue of combustible dust with two leading experts: Dr. Kevin Aikman, a plant biologist and certified industrial hygienist with over 30 years of consulting experience, and Dr. Ashok Dastidar, Vice President at Fauske & Associates, specializing in chemical process hazard analysis. The episode covers the science behind combustible dust, its potential risks, the role of industrial hygienists in recognizing and mitigating these hazards, and the importance of awareness and proper training. Additionally, the discussion highlights the significance of performing Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) and the upcoming NFPA 660 standard. The episode underscores the real-life implications of combustible dust explosions, referencing notable incidents like the 2008 Imperial Sugar explosion and emphasizing regulations and standards' role in preventing such disasters.
Ashok Dastidar
Vice President
Dr. Ashok Dastidar is Vice President at Fauske & Associates, and provides Dust and Flammability Testing and Consulting Services. Dr. \]7Dastidar specializes in Chemical Process Hazards Analysis, Flammable Dusts, Liquids & Vapors Explosion and Combustion Hazards Analysis and Testing and Electrostatic Hazards Analysis. He has extensive technical experience performing tests and analyzing data to determine the following:
• Electrostatic Hazards – field measurements, discharge potential, charge transfer and ignitability,
• Dust Explosibility Hazards – ease of ignitability and explosion severity,
• Flammability Hazards – ease of ignitability and explosion severity of liquid and vapor explosions,
• Thermal Stability and Reactivity Hazards – by Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Dewar Tests,
• Hazard Analysis and Risk Mitigation – using HAZOP, FMEA/FMECA, and FTA
Kevin Aikman
Principal
Dr. Aikman earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1992. He earned his ABIH certification as a Certified Industrial Hygienist in 1998 and was named an AIHA Fellow in 2014. He is also a member of the AIHA and ACGIH and maintains professional licensure for asbestos, lead, and mold in IL, IN & FL with over 30 years of professional consulting experience. Dr. Aikman has performed numerous industrial hygiene assessments in industrial facilities including occupational exposures to particulates, measurements of particle size distribution, dust assessments, and sampling for combustible dusts. In his current role as Principal at Ramboll, he actively directs and provides technical oversite on projects in several Ramboll Health Sciences disciplines including Industrial Hygiene Exposure & Noise Assessments, Hazardous Building Materials (Asbestos, Lead & PCBs), Indoor Environmental Quality, Mold & Moisture, Disaster Response, Water Quality (Legionella, lead & copper in drinking water, and other general water testing), Infectious Agents (COVID-19), and Expert Litigation services.
