Requirement for Companies with Combustible Dust Hazards to be Located in Industrial Estates away from Residential Areas

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower whether all companies that may have combustible dust hazards are required to be located in industrial estates far away from residential areas.

Companies that operate with large amounts of flammable substances, including combustible dusts, are required to be located in industrial estates.

This requirement does not apply to companies processing combustible dust on a smaller scale. Combustible dust takes many forms, including food products such as flour, sugar, and corn starch. Imposing this requirement on all companies would mean that many SMEs, including heartland bakeries, cannot be sited in residential areas. Given the remote risk of small-scale dust explosions affecting adjacent buildings, it would also be impractical to require all such companies to move away from residential estates.

Nevertheless, all companies that use combustible dust are required to implement effective control measures to mitigate combustion risks to their own workers, regardless of where the business is located. The risk of combustible dust explosions can be minimised with simple measures such as having adequate ventilation and regular housekeeping to prevent the build-up of dust in the air. Companies can refer to the MOM circular on the Hazards and Controls of Combustible Dusts dated 23 July 2015.