You don’t need the brains of Sherlock Holmes to realize that not everything dangerous are visible to the human eyes. That’s exactly what makes aluminum fine particles dangerous. By simply combining the right concentration and moisture, this could produce one big explosion.
Most Abundant Metal
Aluminum is intertwined with all the technological advances of today’s world. True enough, this metal is common in most applications – second only to iron. Though hardly existing in its pure form, aluminum is the most abundant metal on the Earth’s crust. You can see aluminum almost everywhere today: in cars, packaging materials, machinery, electrical equipment, and even food and beverage packaging.
As useful as aluminum is, its fine particles — a by-product of many industrial sites — pose a huge risk to humans. In a public health statement, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry details that aluminum dusts in large amounts may result in lung problems and brain disease. Aluminum dust may form an explosive or flammable mixture with damp air, water or steam.
Preventing Accidents
To effectively utilize aluminum in its finest form, workers must learn to handle and process it safely so no untoward incidents may happen. For instance, containers with aluminum powder must not be thrown about.
For a safer work environment, industries should utilize aluminum dust collectors. As Dual Draw explains, using these dust collectors allows workers to handle highly explosive and reactive dust (e.g., aluminum, titanium). Through this ingenious mechanism, reactive aluminum is separated from collected air and processed. This way, worker’s welfare gets enforced in many industrial plants and lives are safe from danger.
To make sure lives are truly safe, you have to start by cleaning the air. Simple filters can make a big difference to safety.
