Advisory: Color Runs and Safety
September 2, 2015 – As runners and revelers look forward to fall, the increase in popularity of so-called “color runs” is heightening public safety risks. The
tragedy at Taipan’s Formosa
water park earlier this summer highlighted the hidden dangers of using large amounts of colored dust. While largely touted as ‘safe’ (typically meaning, the powders are non-toxic) they are far from harmless.
In an advisory released by DEKRA Insight experts, the dangers require some self-education on the part of sports participants and partygoers:
In some cases, the colored powders are classified as ‘nonflammable’ but only because the tests required for the classification of the material do not take into account the fact that it can be ignited when dispersed in the atmosphere as a cloud. This ‘dust explosion' phenomenon is well known by industrial companies (chemical, pharmaceutical, food, etc. industries) and many serious, multiple fatality accidents have occurred in the past, and still occur.