Would you believe us if we told you that Cocoa is hazardous?
Cocoa Processing: An Unexpected Hazardous Location Risk
Well, not the cocoa itself, but the equipment used for the production and packaging of cocoa does fall under the Hazardous Locations Equipment category because of the handling of readily ignitable fibres (cocoa).
Hazardous Locations Class III, Div. 1, as per the Canadian Electrical Code, include parts of rayon, cotton, and other textile mills; combustible fibre manufacturing and processing plants; cotton gins and cotton-seed mills; flax processing plants; clothing manufacturing plants; woodworking plants; and establishments and industries involving similar hazardous processes or conditions.
Ignitable Fibres Requiring Special Protection
Readily ignitable fibres and flyings include rayon, cotton (including cotton linters and cotton waste), sisal or henequen, istle, jute, hemp, tow, COCOA fibre, oakum, baled waste kapok, Spanish moss, excelsior, and other materials of similar nature.
We don’t know about you, but hot cocoa will never be the same for us now!
Cocoa fibers create unique risks due to their fine particle size and sugar content, which lowers ignition temperatures.
Safety Requirements for Cocoa Processing
Facilities handling cocoa must implement:
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Explosion-proof electrical enclosures to contain sparks
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Temperature-controlled machinery preventing surface ignition
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Dust collection systems with proper grounding
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Regular hazardous area inspections
Failure to comply risks catastrophic dust explosions like the 2008 Imperial Sugar incident.
Preventing combustible dust explosions
To read more about Hazardous Locations equipment approvals click here