Webinar: How a Comprehensive DHA Helps Determine Occupancy ClassificationWebinar: How a Comprehensive DHA Helps Determine Occupancy Classification

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific, Mike Snyder, vice president of operational risk management, DEKRA North America, will present, “How a Comprehensive DHA Helps Determine Occupancy Classification” as part of Powder & Bulk Solids' DryPro webinar series.

As new and advanced production operations involving bulk solids continue to grow and evolve, architects and construction firms sometimes face challenges when it comes to designing production facilities that meet building and fire code requirements. Unlike other hazardous materials listed in Table 5003.1.1(1) of the International Fire Code or Table 60.4.2.1.1.3 of NFPA 1 that have a Maximum Allowable Quantity (MACQ), combustible dusts do not. As a result, designers, builders, and AHJs are all faced with the unique challenge of determining if combustible dust hazards are properly mitigated before determining the occupancy classification.

In this presentation, participants will learn how to navigate the MAQ tables in both the IFC and NFPA 1 for combustible particulate solids and how a comprehensive Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) can impact Occupancy Classification.

Snyder serves as a thought leader in risk-based decision-making and a trusted advisor in chemical hazard evaluation and risk management.

Before joining DEKRA, Snyder was the global director of safety and loss prevention at Dow Corning Corp., where he led the company’s Occupational and Process Safety programs. He also has an extensive background in fire services, having served as fire chief and fire marshal for the Auburn-Williams Fire District.

Snyder is actively involved in the industry, currently serving on the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) Governance Board. He is a former member of the NFPA Standards Council and is a technical committee member for several key NFPA codes, including NFPA 30 (Flammable & Combustible Liquids Code), NFPA 1 (Fire Code), and NFPA 1720 (Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments).

Snyder holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety & Health from Columbia Southern University. He is a registered professional engineer in Michigan, a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), and a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).

Register for this webinar