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Tablets & Capsules July 2019 32C through a diaphragm valve onto the filters in the opposite direction as the dust collection airstream, which dislodges the dust accumulated on the filters. The dislodged dust collects in a hopper at the bottom of the chamber and is discharged into the waste container. Dust collector benefits When a dust collector is working efficiently, it can provide several benefits such as cross-contamination prevention and housekeeping, fire safety, and respira- tory protection. Cross-contamination prevention and housekeeping. When manufacturing dietary supplements or any product intended for human consumption, preventing cross-con- tamination should be a top concern, especially when pro- cessing both allergenic and non-allergenic products in close proximity to each other. Raw materials can vary sig- nificantly in particle size and density, and ingredients with low densities can easily become airborne, posing a serious threat of cross-contamination and causing housekeeping problems by settling on cleaned equipment, product-con- tact surfaces, plant floors, or any surface in the area. To minimize these risks, potential airborne contaminants must be trapped at the source with a dust collector as the first line of defense. Fire Safety. The dust generated when manufacturing dietary supplements is often combustible, which can cause dust explosions and fires. Installing an NFPA-compliant dust collection system equipped with proper deflagration protection will minimize the threat of dust explosions and fires in the manufacturing plant. (OSHA) standard, 29 CFR Part 1910.134(a)(1) specifies, "In the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the pri- mary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contami- nation. This shall be accomplished as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures such as installing the dust collection system." [3]. Documented verification of dust collection system effi- ciency is the only way to prove that a system is operating in compliance with cGMP regulations and OSHA stan- dards. These verifications also help to diagnose problems such as heavy accumulation of solids known to clog and corrode a dust collection system's components. This article will explain the role of dust collectors in the dietary sup- plement manufacturing process and describe a method for verifying the efficiency of a dust collection system. Dust collector components and uses The basic components of a typical dust collection sys- tem are a blower, a duct with one or more air inlets or pickup points, a dust collection chamber with cartridge fil- ters, a pulse-jet cleaning system, and a waste container (Figure 1). In operation, the blower creates a vacuum inside the duct, which draws in air from the manufacturing pro- cess through the inlets and carries it to the dust collection chamber. In the dust collection chamber, the cartridge fil- ters separate the dust from the airstream by allowing the air to pass through the filters while collecting the dust par- ticles on the filter surface. At defined intervals, the pulse- jet cleaning system injects pulses of compressed air Figure 1 Typical dust collection system layout Waste container Blower Hopper Dust collection chamber Production suite #3 Production suite #2 Production suite #1 4 7 4 1 8 5 2 9 6 3 3 2 1 Cartridge filters Key Input sampling point = Output sampling point =