Dust can cause quite a few problems in industrial work environments. It’s unhealthy for employees to ingest, it’s a potential fire hazard, and it will contaminate any nearby products, which is obviously a big no-no in manufacturing facilities. Discharging bulk bags produces a significant amount of dust. Luckily, there are several ways to reduce dusting when discharging bulk bags in your facility. Using these practices can help you maintain a facility that is as clean as it is safe to work in.
Proper Employee Handling
When purchasing a bulk bag discharger for your facility, talk to your vendor about details such as proper handling techniques. That way, you can train employees in charge of handling such equipment so they understand proper unloading/loading techniques. Using the wrong techniques can lead to needless dust discharge in the surrounding area. Train all employees in charge of this duty to thoroughly and patiently handle the bulk bag discharger.
In fact, when a new employee is put in charge of this task, have someone supervise them to determine whether they’re using the proper bulk bag handling practices.
Using the Right Bags
Depending on the product your employees handle in the facility each day, you might notice that dust is somehow accumulating around your bulk bag discharger, even though employees are handling it correctly. Don’t worry, the simple solution is to use bags designed to combat such issues. Seek out bags that have a polypropylene coating inside to keep materials contained. You can also use bags with a polyethylene liner inside.
Either method will do the trick; it all depends on the specific nature of the materials in your facility. Remember, not all dust is the same, so talk with your vendor about which method would be best for your facility’s needs.
Vacuum Bag Collapsing
One of the most incredibly effective ways to reduce dusting when discharging bulk bags is with the help of vacuum bag collapsing. These systems provide an airtight connection to the discharge bag, keeping it sealed while the vacuum collapses the bag in a way that properly controls the airflow to enhance dust reduction. In some cases, an employee can collapse the bag themselves, but this will often result in dust accumulating in the area, no matter how thoroughly they do it. With a vacuum system, you collapse the bag entirely while minimizing dust contamination.
As you can see, minimizing dust in the workplace is about pairing knowledgeable workers with the best equipment. If you lack the proper equipment for keeping dust out of your workplace, DoverMEI is here to help. We provide our customers with a selection of dust collector machines they can use for keeping air clean and dust minimal at all times. Dust is a common hazard in manufacturing facilities but with the right knowledge on the subject, you can prevent your facility from experiencing any unnecessary hazards like contamination or combustion because of the presence of dust.