Did you realise that sugar can be highly explosive? We have recently been working with a preeminent chocolate manufacturer to identify what improvements they may need to apply in order to prevent a potential explosion in their factory.

The key ingredient used in the chocolate making process is sugar in very large quantities and this has to be stored and moved around the site; and during this can release sugar dust. It’s the dust that when mixed with air can create a situation where the potential to explode could be achieved; particularly when in a confined enclosure.

Our survey looked at where this might occur and importantly where potential sources of ignition could ignite the dust. Clearly in a factory with a large number of people this would be a highly undesirable event and it’s our expertise that will help the business avoid such a situation occurring.

Looking at the operations with a fresh pair of eyes and with the knowledge accumulated over many years, enabled us to create an action plan for the business to implement the necessary improvements. As the management team agreed that just because they hadn’t had an explosion over the past 20 + years didn’t mean it couldn’t happen.

Although this was sugar dust there are many other dusts generated in businesses across the U.K. that could lead to the same event; a sudden explosion which can be prevented, if the right advice is taken.