DGUV Information 209-027 - Machine Tool Fire and Explosion Prevention and Protection

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Abschnitt 3 - 3 Protective measures "Everything under control"

When evaluating the work conditions according to § 5 of the German Safety at Work Act, the activities with dangerous substances, the use of machine tools, the work environment and the work space should be considered holistically.

The criterion for selecting a suitable machine tool is the health and safety of workers during its intended use. The requirements for the machine tool and the conditions for its provision should be specified on the basis of the hazard assessment.

See also: Technische Regel für Betriebssicherheit "Gefährdungsbeurteilung und sicherheitstechnische Bewertung" (TRBS 1111).

If these requirements are comprehensive, documentation (e. g. in the form of a specification) is reasonable, also with a view to the subsequent risk assessment at the workplace. In the specification, the conditions for production (use of certain materials, consideration of subsequent manufacturing units etc.) may, for example, be laid down.

On the basis of tests and investigations (PTB, IBEXU) a variety of protective measures were developed in the metalworking industries in order to minimize existing fire and explosion risks when using machine tools. The following chapters describe the protection concept and the sequence of the implementation of the measures for the execution of the risk assessment at the workplace ("The recurrent theme"):

Technical and engineering design measures

Priority measures are those which prevent fire or explosions, e. g.

  • Choice of a metalworking fluid with a low hazard potential,

  • Extraction of the oil mist from the work space,

  • Prevention of oil pool formation,

  • Prevention of ignition sources: cooling of the cutting zone by sufficient MWF flooding, process control.

As a fire or an explosion in the interior of the machine cannot be wholly excluded, the following measures, individually or possibly in combination, are, for example, suitable to minimize the consequences of a fire or an explosion:

  • Installation of an automatic fire extinguishing system,

  • Sufficient pressure resistance of the encapsulation,

  • Labyrinths doors which resist flame propagation,

  • Pressure relief valves if the pressure strength of the encapsulation is insufficient.

Specification of measures during risk assessment at the workplace

For the risk assessment at the workplace, the measures suitable for the relevant case are chosen from the above mentioned measures. After implementation, the employer should check, if:

  • The measures are suitable and sufficiently effective,

  • No new hazards have resulted from these measures.

If it is found that the measures are not sufficiently effective or that they cause new hazards, the process of risk assessment at the workplace should be repeated.

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Figure 14 "The recurring theme": The process of risk assessment at the workplace