What You Need to Know About the New Edition of NFPA 652

The 2019 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 652, Standard on the Fundamentals of Combustible Dust was released in mid-2018, proving facility operators with an updated version of the document to help manage hazards.

According to the NFPA, some of the most notable features of the 2019 edition include shifting the dust hazard analysis (DHA) deadline for existing facilities and processes from Sept. 7, 2018 to Sept. 7, 2020; requiring DHA updates every five years; edits to the general requirements for managing combustible dust fire and explosion hazards; and additional information on the most recent versions of the organization’s combustible dust-related standards.

Powder & Bulk Solids Managing Editor John S. Forrester interviewed two prominent process safety experts — Martin Clouthier, P.Eng., director and practice leader for combustible dust testing and consulting services at Jensen Hughes, and Dr. Vahid Ebadat, chief executive officer of Stonehouse Process Safety — to gauge how the 2019 edition of NFPA 652 might impact facilities.