What is BS EN 617 – Continuous handling equipment and systems about?
BS EN 617 is a European standard that discusses the safety and EMC requirements for the equipment for the storage of bulk materials in silos, bunkers, bins and hoppers for continuous handling equipment and systems. The objective of material handling equipment is to facilitate the reduction in material damage and to improve quality.
BS EN 617 deals with the technical requirements to minimize the hazards listed in clause 4 and annexes A. These hazards can arise during the operation and maintenance of equipment to store bulk materials in silos, bunkers, bins and hoppers and their built-in inlet and outlet devices when carried out by the specifications given by the manufacturer or his authorized representative.
BS EN 617 deals with safety-related technical verification during commissioning. Safety requirements and/or measures in BS EN 617 apply to equipment used in all environments. However, additional risk assessment and safety measures need to be considered in severe conditions, e.g., low or high temperatures out of the range covered by EN 60204-1, corrosive environments, strong magnetic fields, radioactive conditions and bulk materials to be stored included their flow the nature of which could lead to a dangerous situation.
BS EN 617 does not cover requirements for:
- Movable, non-permanent storage equipment such as road vehicles, rail wagons, containers for bulk materials, ships and barges
- Blow tanks and pressure vessels as used in pneumatic conveying systems
- Stockpiles and flat storage
- Storage equipment for non-bulk materials (liquid, gas, slurries, sludge, silage)
- Dismantling and transport of storage equipment
- Procedure for entering the silo and behavior of persons inside the silo
- Storage equipment for underground mining
- Noise
Who is BS EN 617 – Continuous handling equipment and systems for?
BS EN 617 on the storage of bulk materials in silos, bunkers, bins, and hoppers applies to:
- Manufacturers of material handling system
- Engineer for material handling
Why should you use BS EN 617 – Continuous handling equipment and systems?
Bulk material is a mixture consisting of a minimum of two phases, solid and gas. Normally liquid is also present in bulk material and is referred to as moisture content. The solid in a bulk material consists of fine or coarse particles or larger pieces or mixtures of these. In practice, bulk materials are known as dust, powders, meals, grains, granules, lumps, and pellets.
BS EN 617 specifies the hazards and hazards situation which helps you identify by problematic assessment significant for this type of machinery and require action to eliminate or reduce the danger.
BS EN 617 provides various verification of safety and EMC requirements and/or measures such as:
- Visual check, which is intended to establish whether something is present, drawings are provided and are adequate to meet the requirements of BS EN 617.
- Measurement, which is intended to establish whether the stated measurable parameters have been met (e.g., safety distances, isolation resistance of electric circuits, noise.)
- Functional test, loaded test and specific verification/measurements.
