Washburn A Mill and How to Avoid Dust Explosions
On May 2nd, 1878, the catastrophic event known as the Washburn A Mill Explosion occurred in Minneapolis, MN. Now the site of Mill City Museum, the Washburn A Mill devastating explosion is a tragedy that resulted in the loss of many lives. But this event also moved industrial safety in a new and positive direction. Learn what happened to cause this tragedy and how you can prevent it from happening to you.
Washburn A Mill History
“Soon after Minneapolis was born on the Mississippi’s west bank, the city’s flour milling industry skyrocketed. Powered by the mighty river and fed by boxcars of grain rolling in from the plains, the industry gave Minneapolis bragging rights as the ‘Flour Milling Capital of the World.’” (mnhs.org/millcity)
In 1874, the first Washburn A Mill opens. This mill stood out from the competition due to its technological advancements in production capacity. The mill used a new concept of milling flour by gradual reduction that would eventually revolutionize the industry. It was owned by Washburn-Crosby Co, which would evolve into General Mills.
The new concept of milling flour increased production but also increased the amount of flour dust. The dust would fill the air and settle on all surfaces. There was also no way to remove this dust. To compile on, there were also no regulations guarding against ignition sources. These factors, combined with the general lack of safety knowledge at the time, set the course for disaster.
On May 2nd, 1878, the Washburn A Mill exploded, shattering windows, collapsing walls, and sending debris soaring. Portions of the building were essentially eliminated. Nearby civilians in their homes ran outside thinking there had been an earthquake. In the end, the explosion claimed between 18 and 22 lives of workers who were working the night shift at the mill. Many others were injured.
How to Avoid Dust Explosions in Your Plant
A safety engineer named William de la Barre headed the investigation to discover what exactly happened to cause the Washburn disaster. Through his research, he found that even a small spark (even something as small as dry clothes rubbing together) can ignite flour dust causing a fire. Here are some of the preventative measures de la Barre engineered that are still encouraged or required in all facilities with dust accumulation.
Dust Collection Systems
De la Barre’s contributions to safety include Dust Collect Systems to be used in any industry where combustible dust accumulation occurs. Vac-U-Max is the industry leader in industrial vacuums and prides themselves on safety standards. These cleaning systems are affordable and make detailed facility cleaning a quick and easy task. This increases safety standards to help prevent potential explosions. They also help you meet NFPA and OSHA regulations.
Safe Media Loading and Unloading
When it comes to loading and unloading media that expels combustible dust, Pebco offers their Dustless Loading Spout (DLS). These spouts are typically used when loading trucks, trains, barges, or in stockpiling applications. The DLS is the industry standard when it comes to reducing dust emissions when loading media. An additional dust collector can be added to the spout for even more dust removal.
Explosion Isolation, Suppression, and Venting
Rembe supports explosion protection systems to keep your employees, equipment, and facility safe. Rembe equipment allows you to isolate, suppress, and expel explosions if and when they happen. Although costly pieces of equipment, the price of shutting down due to an explosion is nothing compared to the price of prevention. These pieces of equipment are essential for every plant and facility that has combustible dust accumulation.
Spread Prevention
Fire and Smoke Dampers installed throughout your facility can prevent spreading of, you guessed it, fire and smoke. These handy dampers automatically slam closed when they reach a certain temperature or when smoke is detected. They can also be activated remotely if necessary. Arrow United carries a wide variety of sizes and styles to meet your facility’s safety requirements.
In 2023 there were a reported 9 dust explosion incidents across the United States resulting in 12 injuries (purdue.edu). Fuel sources for all nine were identified as grain dust. Don’t be a statistic. Let’s end dust explosions today!
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