CONVEYOR FIRES : CAUSES AND PREVENTION
PLANT AND EQUIPMENT •
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CONVEYOR FIRES : CAUSES AND PREVENTION
By Martin Engineering experts and the authors of Foundations™ for Conveyor Safety . 1
Outdoor conveyor fire .
With the Foundations™ Learning Center , 2 the largest comprehensive free conveyor training archive on the web , Martin Engineering , a global leader in conveyor accessories , shares insights into the hazards of conveyor fires and gives an overview of how to improve workplace safety .
Causes of belt fires To create a fire there must be three elements : oxygen , heat and fuel ( aka , “ the fire triangle ”). One factor that makes conveyor fires so hazardous is that the belt itself can be the fuel . According to a study of belt fires conducted by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH ), 3 any of the standard neoprene , PVC , chloroprene and BELT-approved SBR belts can ignite . Although some belts are self-extinguishing , the conclusion is that there is no non-flammable belt , particularly when accompanied by a combustible material . 4
Friction Inadequate belt cleaning in the discharge zone can lead to dust and carryback on the return side of the belt , causing a fouled tail pulley to run under a stalled belt , which creates tremendous heat .
Dust emissions of any kind ( combustible or noncombustible ) originating from the loading or discharge zones have a tendency to foul rolling components , leading to failure of the seals and then contamination in the bearings and eventually cause the roller to seize . A rolling component can also stall if impact or cargo weight causes the bearings to collapse . Continuous frictional contact with a seized idler or the roller face can cause a loaded belt to exceed safe operational temperatures . It can also potentially
Drum friction test .
Fire Pentagon .
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