We have seen a recent increase in calls from members to the FSB health and safety advice line seeking advice on health and safety inspections in bakeries.
Employers are required by law to put in place suitable control measures to reduce the risk of hazards in the workplace causing harm to their staff.
Substances hazardous to health in baking include:
- flour dust;
- improver dusts containing enzymes etc;
- dusts from protein-containing ingredients such as egg, soya;
- spices, citrus oils and flavour concentrates; and
- cleaning and disinfectant products.
Flour dust in bakeries, flour mills and kitchens, and other dust from food production can cause asthma if inhaled. Flour dust has been set a legal Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL). Dermatitis may result from some bakery tasks, and if hands are wet many times a day or for a lot of the time.
Legally required control measures for bakeries may include:
Safe systems of work: careful working methods can avoid raising clouds of dust. For example, starting up mixers on slow speed until wet and dry ingredients are combined.
Using vacuum equipment: Avoid dry sweeping and using compressed airlines when cleaning up as these will just create dust clouds and redistribute the dust. Use vacuum equipment that meets at least the dust class M (medium hazard) classification, or a suction hose attached to the LEV system.
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV). Control flour dust at source as it is produced, and prevent it spreading into the workplace, by the use of fixed LEV.
Using respirators for very dusty tasks. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) can be used to prevent the risk of breathing in flour dust and developing 'baker's asthma'. Alternatively, using low-dust flour in baking may avoid the need for workers to wear RPE entirely. Employers should bear in mind workers have varying sizes and shapes of faces, so a face ‘fit test’ is needed to ensure any tight-fitting respirator is effective for the individual worker. Facial hair or glasses tend to lift the respirator off the face and permit inward leakage of dusty air.
Health Surveillance. Bakeries and other employers have a legal duty to provide health surveillance where there is a residual risk of developing ill-health that remains after other control measures (such as the above) have been put in place, due to the risk of asthma associated with flour dust and other harmful particles; as well as the risk of dermatitis due to wet work. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on health surveillance can be found here.
Where can I find guidance?
Help in finding the right controls can be found on HSE’s website for bakers.
HSE has also produced a number advice sheets to help employers assess and control risks from hazardous substances in the workplace and in particular good practice for controlling exposure to flour dust in the production and use of flour: https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/baking.htm
As well as access to the health and safety resources on the FSB Legal and Business Hub and FSB legal advice line for general guidance (Health and Safety resources and services), details of our feepaying health and safety consultancy service that can assist with carrying out risk assessments, implementing control measures and other health and safety consultancy services, can be found on the FSB Legal and Business hub.