Explosion risk assessment
Explosion hazard may occur at various workplaces, where an explosive atmosphere is formed and an ignition source occurs. In order to determine in which cases such a risk exists, an explosion risk assessment is carried out.
The explosion risk assessment can be used in preparing the explosion risk assessment. An explosion risk assessment is often required when obtaining a building permit.
When is an explosion risk assessment performed?
Cases in which it is necessary to perform an explosion risk assessment are specified in the Ordinance of the Minister of Interior and Administration of June 7, 2010 on fire protection of buildings, other structures and areas (Journal of Laws of June 22, 2010).
In the above regulation, we can find the information that "in the facilities and adjacent areas, where technological processes are carried out with the use of materials that can produce explosive mixtures or in which such materials are stored, an explosion risk assessment is carried out".
How is an explosion risk assessment performed?
According to the requirements, the assessment of the risk of explosion requires the determination of the area which is at risk of explosion, the designation of hazardous zones, as well as the indication of factors that may cause ignition.
Ignition sources which may cause an explosion:
- mechanically generated sparks
- electrical appliances
- exothermic reactions including dust self-ignition
- flames and hot gases
- ultrasounds
- Thunder Strike
- ionizing radiation
- stray currents, cathodic corrosion protection
- hot surfaces
- static electricity
- electromagnetic waves from 3 × 1011 Hz to 3 × 1015 Hz
- radio frequency electromagnetic waves from 104 Hz to 3 × 1015 Hz
- adiabatic compression and shock waves
The explosion risk assessment is presented in the form of an appropriate document along with a graphic presentation of the hazard zones.
