Experts evaluating the explosion at a pasta factory in Hendek district of Sakarya, which resulted in 1 death and 30 injuries, 6 of them serious, emphasize the necessity of taking precautions before the explosion, regular technical inspections, and rectifying deficiencies.
Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl:
“If an explosion has occurred, there must have been negligence.”
Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Rüştü Uçan:
“Once an explosion starts, it is impossible to stop it because it occurs very rapidly and powerfully.”
Occupational Health and Safety Expert Abdurrahman İnce:
“This pressure resulting from rapid expansion is the common mechanism of all explosions.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Deputy Dean, Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl, Faculty of Health Sciences Occupational Health and Safety Department Head Dr. Lecturer Rüştü Uçan, and Faculty of Health Sciences Occupational Health and Safety Department Lecturer Abdurrahman İnce, evaluated the explosion that occurred at a pasta factory in Hendek district of Sakarya, which resulted in 1 death and 30 injuries, 6 of them serious.
How did the explosion happen?
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Deputy Dean, Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl, stated that there was first an explosion and then a fire, saying, “It is important to understand the cause of the explosion here. The fact that the factory is a pasta factory and works with flour products can help explain this situation. Since flour is a substance that can remain suspended in the air in fine granular form, we can consider this an explosive atmosphere or explosive environment explosion. We call this an 'Atex explosion'. Characteristics of dust explosions typically start with a small initial explosion, followed by second and third explosions that create a large destructive effect.”
Flour creates both an explosive atmosphere and is a flammable substance
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl noted that a fire broke out after the explosion because flour both creates an explosive environment and is flammable, stating, “The fire appears to have started due to the explosion and was intervened. Such explosions are rare; a similar explosion occurred in a silo in Kocaeli Derince about 1 year ago. A death occurred during the unloading of a ship from Ukraine. Although rare, we can encounter such explosions.”
Irregular cleaning of dust can create an explosive environment
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl pointed out that this incident is not related to the summer months, saying, “Fires seen in the summer months are mostly forest fires. However, factory fires do not arise from these types of reasons. We have an occupational health and safety law. With this law, certain measures must be taken in workplaces, especially under the employer's responsibility. If an explosion has occurred, there must have been negligence. We have regulations adapted from the European Union regarding explosive environments. Within the scope of these regulations, necessary measures must be taken by considering the possibilities of explosive atmosphere formation. Especially in places where flammable organic dusts are present, such as feed factories or pharmaceutical factories, if dusts are not regularly cleaned, their suspension in the air can create an explosive environment. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of this risk and to inspect areas where an explosive environment may form, within the framework of specified standards.”
Regular cleaning is required
Emphasizing that precautions must be taken if there is a possibility of an explosive environment, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl continued as follows:
“First and foremost, regular cleaning is essential. This is crucial for preventing dust explosions. Because dust accumulates over time, forming layers on the floor, between machines, or on top of fluorescent lamps. Even with the slightest vibration, for example, hitting a table, these dusts can rise into the air. By cleaning regularly, you can prevent these dusts from rising into the air and forming an explosive environment. For this purpose, it is necessary to use ventilators, extraction systems, or dust collection units. If there is a risk of an explosive environment forming, it is also important to eliminate ignition sources. Static electricity or electrical devices can be among these sources. These devices must be exproof (explosion-proof), meaning they can be safely used in explosive environments. Furthermore, measures should be taken to mitigate the effects in the event of a possible explosion. Arrangements such as explosion vents, windows opening outwards, and weakened ceilings direct the pressure of the explosion upwards. The fact that the explosion pressure went upwards already indicates that the structure was designed this way.”
No matter how many precautions are taken, deficiencies can sometimes occur
Pointing out that such precautions should have been taken beforehand, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “Since it is a large factory, these precautions were probably implemented in this factory. However, no matter how many precautions are taken, deficiencies can sometimes occur. For example, we can encounter problems such as a dust collection unit not working or an exproof machine losing its safety. Such issues emerge as a result of technical investigations. If these precautions are checked periodically and machines are regularly maintained, the risk of explosion is reduced to a minimum, even to one in a million.”
Dr. Lecturer Rüştü Uçan: “Dust explosions start with a small spark”
Dr. Lecturer Rüştü Uçan, Head of the Faculty of Health Sciences Occupational Health and Safety Department, in his evaluation, pointed out that the flour used in pasta production exploded for some reason, stating, “Flour explosions can cause a large-scale explosion with a simple trigger like a small spark, releasing very powerful energy.”
Necessary precautions must have been taken beforehand in such places
“In such places, the preparation of an explosion protection document and the taking of necessary precautions beforehand are crucial. Because when dust explosions start with a small spark, all the dust in the environment becomes airborne and starts to burn, releasing a very large amount of energy. Taking precautions beforehand is essential to prevent such incidents.” said Dr. Lecturer Rüştü Uçan, continuing:
“Explosion vents are installed, various measures are taken to prevent sources that create the first spark, and extruders (a piece of equipment widely used in the production process) are used. With all these precautions, explosions can be prevented. However, once an explosion starts, it is impossible to stop it because it occurs very rapidly and powerfully. This explosion is not caused by gas compression but is called a dust explosion. So, the event that occurred here is a typical dust explosion.”
Abdurrahman İnce:
Abdurrahman İnce, Lecturer at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Occupational Health and Safety Department, stated that various explosions occurred in the factory and the mechanisms of these explosions were quite different from each other, saying, “This is a pasta factory. If there is flour or similar materials in the silos, this could be a flour explosion. Flammable dusts, such as flour or sugar, can lead to dust explosions. These dust explosions frequently occur in many parts of the world, and even in our country.”
Numerous explosions have occurred in flour factories in the past
Abdurrahman İnce noted that all flammable dusts carry the risk of explosion, stating:
“There are four types of Atex explosions, and we call them 'explosive atmosphere explosions'. Flammable gases, flammable water vapors, mist forms of flammable liquids, and cloud forms of flammable solid dusts combine with air to form a flammable mixture. When this mixture comes into contact with an ignition heat source, sudden combustion occurs. The meaning of this explosion is the rapid start and end of a combustion reaction; combustion happens within microseconds, and this exerts pressure on the surroundings. This pressure resulting from rapid expansion is the common mechanism of all explosions. Therefore, when flammable solid dust mixes with air in a cloud form, there should be no ignition heat source. Attention must be paid to this. Numerous explosions have occurred in flour factories in the past; these explosions resulted in serious fatalities and the collapse of buildings. The same situation has occurred in sugar factories. All flammable dusts, especially flour and sugar, carry this risk, and work must be carried out with appropriate safety measures.”
Ignition heat sources need to be eliminated
Abdurrahman İnce stated that the primary precaution in such environments is the elimination of ignition heat sources, adding, “Work must adhere to exproof operating standards, grounding must be done, and heat sources that could ignite the mixture of flammable dust and air must be eliminated. This way, safe operation can be ensured.”