Combustible dust is an invisible hazard in countless industrial environments. From metal shavings to paper dust, when certain materials are finely divided and suspended in air, they can ignite fast, leading to a catastrophic explosion. That’s why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing loss of life and property from fire and related hazards, recently released NFPA 660: Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids. This long-anticipated update consolidates six separate combustible dust standards into one comprehensive document.
Whether you’re manufacturing, processing, packaging, or recycling, if your operations generate dust, NFPA 660 applies to you.
What Is NFPA 660?
Until recently, combustible dust safety was governed by a patchwork of industry-specific NFPA standards, including:
- NFPA 61 – Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities
- NFPA 484 – Combustible Metals
- NFPA 652 – General Fundamentals
- NFPA 654 – Manufacturing and Processing
- NFPA 664 – Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities
In 2025, the NFPA officially consolidated these into NFPA 660 to eliminate conflicting language, simplify compliance, and create a clearer, more cohesive standard. While the goal was to streamline, complying with NFPA 660 is still a rigorous process that requires careful planning, system upgrades, and expert guidance.
Who’s Affected by the New Standard?
Compliance is not optional if your facility generates combustible dust during its operations. NFPA 660 applies to all industries and operations where dust presents a fire, flash fire, or explosion risk, regardless of your material or process.
That includes:
- Manufacturing (plastics, rubber, chemicals, pharmaceuticals)
- Food processing
- Metal fabrication
- Woodworking and paper
- Recycling facilities
- Printing and packaging
Facilities that already follow existing NFPA combustible dust standards will find that many familiar elements remain. However, changes to the Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) requirements, housekeeping practices, and explosion prevention measures make it essential to review the full NFPA 660 standard and assess compliance gaps.
The Core Components of NFPA 660
NFPA 660 outlines a structured, three-part framework for managing combustible dust hazards in industrial settings. From risk assessment to active system design, each standard component ensures facilities proactively identify and control combustible dust risks rather than react to them.
Here’s how the standard breaks it down:
Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA)
A Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) is the foundation of compliance. This systematic assessment identifies where dust-related fire, flash fire, or explosion hazards exist in your facility and what to do about them.
Under NFPA 660, the DHA must include:
- Identification of Combustible Materials: The facility owner or operator is responsible for determining whether dusts generated on-site are combustible or explosible. This requires material testing, not guesswork.
- Risk Analysis by Process or Location: Every area where combustible dust is present, from grinders and conveyors to baghouses and silos, must be evaluated for ignition sources, dust accumulation, and potential for confinement.
- Documentation of Controls: If you identify hazards, the analysis must define what safeguards are in place and what additional steps are needed to meet the standard’s requirements.
Once complete, you must keep the DHA on file and review it every five years, or sooner if significant changes to materials, layout, or equipment occur.
Comprehensive Dust Management
Knowing the risks is only step one. Managing them is where the real work begins. NFPA 660 requires facilities to implement a Comprehensive Dust Management Plan that applies DHA findings to daily operations.
This includes:
- Housekeeping Protocols: Written procedures must specify how and when dust accumulation is removed, especially from elevated or hard-to-see surfaces. Visual inspection thresholds (e.g., 1/32” depth over a set area) may apply.
- Source Capture & Collection: Dust collection systems must control airborne dust at the point of generation. This often involves hoods, ductwork, air filtration, and collection vessels tailored to the material and process.
- Preventative Maintenance: Filters, seals, and system components must be maintained and monitored to ensure consistent and effective collection efficiency over time.
- Employee Training: Workers must understand their role in identifying and controlling dust hazards, following safe work practices, and recognizing system malfunctions.
Effective dust management goes beyond sweeping up to actively controlling dust before it accumulates.
Explosion Prevention Measures
NFPA 660 takes a proactive stance on explosion prevention, requiring that dust collection and handling systems contain, isolate, or safely vent deflagrations before they escalate.
This may involve:
- Explosion Venting: Panels or rupture discs are installed in dust collectors or enclosures to relieve internal pressure and direct the blast away from people and property.
- Active Fire Suppression: Sensors detect sparks, embers, or elevated temperatures inside the system and automatically activate extinguishing agents to suppress a potential ignition.
- Isolation Devices: Backdraft dampers, rotary airlocks, or chemical barriers prevent flames or pressure waves from traveling backward by ducting them into other parts of the facility.
An Important Note: NFPA 660 makes it clear that there is no “grandfather clause.” Existing dust collection systems, even those previously compliant, must meet the updated requirements of the new standard.
Why NFPA 660 Compliance Is Worth the Effort
Meeting the requirements of NFPA 660 is an investment in long-term safety, performance, and operational resilience. Here’s how compliance adds value to your facility:
- Cleaner, Safer Workspaces
A compliant dust control system reduces airborne particles, improving indoor air quality and safer conditions for your team. This helps minimize fire hazards, slip risks, and health issues linked to dust exposure. - Less Downtime & Fewer Repairs
Excess dust can clog filters, damage equipment, and increase the frequency of breakdowns. Regular maintenance and collection protocols keep machinery running smoothly and help avoid unplanned shutdowns. - Improved Product Quality
Dust contamination can compromise the quality of finished goods, especially in food, packaging, and manufacturing environments. Better dust control means cleaner operations and more consistent output. - Lower Energy Costs
Modern dust collection systems improve airflow and reduce leakage, which can help cut down on heating and cooling loss. Over time, this contributes to measurable energy savings. - Better Insurance Outcomes
Insurers often look at combustible dust as a high-risk factor. Facilities that follow NFPA 660 show a strong commitment to safety, which may result in lower premiums or better policy terms. - Regulatory Confidence
A documented, NFPA-compliant dust management plan can make a big difference during inspections or permit approvals. It helps show that your facility is operating responsibly and ready for review.
Complying with NFPA 660 helps you protect your people, equipment, and bottom line.
Compliance Takes a Team
Creating a compliant dust mitigation plan is not something most teams can tackle alone. It involves collaboration between facility operators, engineering consultants, insurance providers, and local authorities. The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), often a fire marshal or code inspector, plays a critical role in interpreting NFPA 660 and ultimately approving your plans.
With so many moving parts, it helps to have an experienced partner guiding the process from start to finish.
AES has been helping companies meet combustible dust safety standards for over three decades. We work closely with manufacturers, processors, and recyclers to build safe, efficient systems aligned with current NFPA guidelines.
If you’re unsure where to start, we can help with dust sampling and testing to determine whether your materials pose a fire or explosion risk. We also connect facilities with qualified consultants to complete a Dust Hazard Analysis and create a practical, standards-based dust management plan.
Our team is well-versed in explosion protection strategies and can provide expert recommendations on venting, suppression, and isolation technologies. When it’s time to implement, we deliver complete, custom-designed dust collection systems that meet the latest NFPA 660 requirements.
Ready for NFPA 660? AES Can Help You Get There
If you’re unsure whether your dust collection system meets the new NFPA 660 requirements, now is the time to find out. Along with potential safety risks, an outdated or incomplete setup could delay permits, impact insurance, or even force shutdowns. But getting compliant doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch.
AES offers expert system evaluations to help you understand where your current equipment stands. We’ll identify compliance gaps, provide practical recommendations, and work with you to implement upgrades or replacements that align with your operational needs. We aim to make compliance as smooth and disruption-free as possible.
Whether you need help evaluating dust hazards, modernizing an existing system, or designing a new solution tailored to your facility, AES brings the experience and resources to get it done right. We’re here to help you protect your team, stay ahead of the standard, and keep your business moving.
Let’s get started. Contact AES today to ensure your dust collection system is safe, compliant, and built for the future.