Full Description
Food manufacturing can produce a number of hazards in the working environment and providing adequate engineering controls, such as local exhaust ventilation can sometimes be at the back of the business owner's minds.
Typically, as a basic in many food types, HSE based their guidance on bakeries, flour, and flour dust to stipulate the core principals of dust in food manufacturing. Flour dust is finely ground particles of cereal or pulses (including contaminants) resulting from any grinding process, subsequent handling and use. Any additives (eg flour improvers) are included after they have been added to the final product. WELs should be reduced as low as practically possible.
"Breathing in flour dust can cause asthma"
HSE's FL0: COSSH Essential Guidance for Managers for Production and Use of Flour
We Have The Solution
Auto Extract Systems are accustomed to helping all kinds of food manufacturing businesses provide pollution-free workplaces.
What Do The HSE Recommend?
On the HSE's Baker - common causes of asthma webpage, the HSE recommends that business work carefully to avoid raising clouds of dust and to use dust extraction equipment for dusty tasks. Whilst in HSE's INDG429 - Bakers: Time to Clear the Air guidance, it states that dust extraction equipment should be working and switched on prior to any dusty task being stated.
Health Risks
Occupational asthma is a common theme in the HSE's advice for food manufacturing businesses. Click the following links to find HSE’s ‘G402: Health Surveillance for Occupation Asthma’, and; ‘G403: Health Surveillance for Occupational Dermatitis’ guidance.
In the HSE's baker case study, School cook and flour dust, a school cook developed breathing problems after working with flour in the school kitchen, which was in a small room with poor ventilation. Her breathing problems became so severe that she could hardly walk and she had to sleep sitting up. After an investigation, the courts eventually awarded her £200,000 in damages.
Case Studies
To find out more about the latest LEV installations we've been working on, check out our Case Studies section.
Solutions For...
- Food manufacturing
- Food and drink packaging
- Education providers
- Drink manufacturing
