Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container
Case study: An operator was scooping an active pharmaceutical ingredient powder (MIE = 15 mJ) from a Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (FIBC) into a sieve when an explosion/flash fire occurred in the vicinity. The sieved powder (fine particulates) flowed through the sieve into a stainless steel bin on nylon wheels as can be seen in Figure 1. Though not specifically shown in Figure 1, the procedure required that the bin be covered with a plastic sheet to reduce dust emission (as shown in Figure 2). The procedure also required the bin to be earthed with a clamp to a nearby ladder (as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3). The sieve itself rested on nylon wheels but contained an electric motor which was earthed. The operator was wearing conductive shoes. (i) Develop a plausible scenario that describes the most likely cause of the explosion/flash fire. (ii) Describe the various control measures you would implement to minimize the likelihood of such an explosion/flash fire re-occurring in the future.
