Summary
In short
- A dust hazard assessment is an assessment used in KnowSafe that assesses combustible dust risk from materials, housekeeping and equipment. It is built against NFPA 652, OSHA CPL 03-00-008 and forms part of the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme.
- Run where dust generating materials are handled, and reviewed after process changes. Carried out by a competent assessor.
- The template holds 46 fields across 7 sections.
- Scoring is risk band, where high is bad.
- OSHA CPL is oSHA compliance directive. Internal instruction telling inspectors how to enforce a standard. Useful for knowing what will be looked at.
- It connects to the rest of the library: links Substance, Asset.
What it is
What it is
What is a dust hazard assessment?
A dust hazard assessment is an assessment used in KnowSafe that assesses combustible dust risk from materials, housekeeping and equipment. It is built against NFPA 652, OSHA CPL 03-00-008 and forms part of the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme.
When is a dust hazard assessment completed?
A dust hazard assessment is completed when the task, area or population being assessed is new or has materially changed. Run where dust generating materials are handled, and reviewed after process changes.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This assessment is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this assessment covers has occurred, or is about to
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form RSK-2026-000
- You are running the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: links substance, asset
Not for
- Chemical Inventory Record, which records what chemicals are held where, in what quantity and in what container.
- Safety Data Sheet Review, which checks each safety data sheet is current, complete and available to the people who use the product.
- Chemical Risk Assessment, which assesses the risk of using a chemical for a specific task, covering exposure route, quantity, ventilation and PPE.
- Anything outside KnowSafe, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
OSHA CPLOSHA compliance directive
Internal instruction telling inspectors how to enforce a standard. Useful for knowing what will be looked at.
OSHAOccupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States workplace safety regulator. Its standards are law where they apply.
NFPANational Fire Protection Association
Fire and electrical safety codes. NFPA 70E covers arc flash, NFPA 25 water based fire protection.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the dust hazard assessment template based on?+
It is built against NFPA 652, OSHA CPL 03-00-008. OSHA CPL is oSHA compliance directive. Internal instruction telling inspectors how to enforce a standard. Useful for knowing what will be looked at. OSHA is occupational Safety and Health Administration. The United States workplace safety regulator. Its standards are law where they apply.
What sections does the dust hazard assessment contain?+
There are 7 sections: header, dust characteristics, where dust accumulates, ignition sources, protection, related records, result. Together they hold 46 fields, 32 of which are required.
How often is a dust hazard assessment raised?+
A new record is raised when the task, area or population being assessed is new or has materially changed. Each one is given an ID in the form RSK-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the dust hazard assessment belong to?+
It is part of Chemical Safety and WHMIS. Every substance has a sixteen section sheet, an assessment, a label and a spill response.
How is a dust hazard assessment scored?+
Scoring is risk band. High is bad. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the dust hazard assessment template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the dust hazard assessment library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Sources
Sources
- OSHA CPL — OSHA compliance directive
- OSHA — Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- NFPA — National Fire Protection Association