Case Study: Flour Power: Enhancing Worker Safety in a High-Paced Bakery Environment

In this case study, we delve into our experience assessing occupational health risks within the high-octane environment of a commercial bakery. A commercial bakery, often buzzing with activity from the wee hours of the morning, is a world where precision, efficiency, and safety are key. These establishments operate under immense pressure to supply fresh bread and other baked goods to shops, restaurants, and markets across cities and towns, often with operations starting before dawn to meet consumer demand.

Within this bustling backdrop, one process stands out for its potential to pose significant health risks to workers—the preparation of dough, and particularly, the creation of flour blends. This seemingly simple process involves the dispersion of flour particles into the air, creating what's known as flour dust. When not properly controlled, this fine particulate matter can be inhaled by bakery operatives, exposing them to potential health hazards.

Exposure to flour dust, especially over a long duration, can lead to a range of health issues. Flour dust is known to be a respiratory sensitiser, and high-level or prolonged exposure can result in a variety of respiratory conditions, such as occupational asthma, bakers' asthma, rhinitis, and other respiratory impairments. Such health risks necessitate careful scrutiny of the bakery environment, with an emphasis on implementing effective controls to manage flour dust exposure. In this case study, we take you through our systematic approach to addressing these challenges.

Guidance

In the United Kingdom, the control and management of exposure to flour dust in bakeries is guided by a number of regulations and guidelines. These include:

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002: These regulations require employers to conduct risk assessments on the health risks posed by hazardous substances at work. They also require employers to put in place measures to prevent or control exposure. For bakeries, this would include assessing the risk of exposure to flour dust and implementing control measures such as adequate ventilation, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and safe work procedures.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance: The HSE provides specific guidance for the bakery industry on controlling flour dust. This includes advice on risk assessments, exposure limits, dust control measures, air monitoring, health surveillance, and training.
 
   - Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs): For flour dust, the WEL is 10 mg/m3 (averaged over 8 hours) for inhalable dust and 4 mg/m3 for respirable dust. These are the maximum concentrations of dust in the air that workers can be exposed to. However, the HSE stipulates that levels of less than 2mg/m3 should be achievable with good practice in place.
   - Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE): The HSE recommends the use of suitable RPE when exposure to flour dust cannot be prevented by other means.

Industry Guidance: Industry bodies such as the Craft Bakers Association and the Federation of Bakers also provide advice and guidance on managing exposure to flour dust in bakeries.
 
These guidelines and regulations are designed to ensure the safety and health of bakery workers, providing a clear framework for employers to follow to mitigate and manage risks associated with flour dust exposure.
 

Our observations

 
The bakery works around the clock, with two 11-hour shifts to cover 24 hours. The work pace is intense, and the workers run on a four-day workweek schedule.  When it comes to mixing, there are two operatives on the job. One of them is fully dedicated to this area, while the other is like a jack-of-all-trades, offering help wherever needed. They mix a variety of ingredients for all sorts of pastry recipes. Unfortunately, the Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system they use looks like it's seen better days - it's got a few dings and dents and could do with some fixing up. Mixing typically takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and they can whip up to 15 batches in a single shift. On the pastry line there are six hard workers operating different equipment, including a nifty flour doser. They don't have an LEV system in this area, and no one uses any kind of respiratory protective gear. But they are diligent about cleaning - they do it daily, and if there's too much flour dust, they clean as needed.

Recommendations

As we delve into our findings, it's apparent that there are urgent actions needed to ensure the safety and health of everyone on the premises. One of the most immediate concerns revolves around the Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems. These systems, designed to extract airborne dust and maintain clean air, need to be in optimal condition at all times. Regular check-ups and comprehensive testing every 14 months as per the COSHH Regulations is not just a recommendation, it's a necessity.

In the hustle and bustle of the bakery, it's essential that everyone knows the correct way to use the LEV system. Training on the proper operation of these systems isn't something we can postpone, it needs to start immediately. With the right training, workers can play a significant role in maintaining their own safety.

Of course, keeping the workplace clean and free of flour deposits also plays a critical role in ensuring workers' safety. Housekeeping isn't just about cleanliness—it's a part of the overall safety protocol. Therefore, the employees should maintain rigorous cleaning schedules to avoid the accumulation of flour on floors and equipment.

Another immediate action required in the bakery concerns the use of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). If workers are required to use RPE, then they should be clean-shaven to ensure the RPE fits securely and works effectively. COSHH face-fit testing is not just an advisory, but an immediate necessity.

Moving on to the specific case of the pastry lines, we noticed a lack of dedicated LEV systems serving these areas. Although this recommendation is advisory, we highly recommend considering the installation of an LEV system to help reduce personal exposure to dust.
 
Pastry line workers need to understand the importance of vacuuming and employing wet cleaning methods to keep dust to a minimum. Dust isn't just a nuisance, it's a potential health hazard, and managing it effectively should start immediately.

 Value delivered

The improvement in the working conditions at the bakery due to our advice and interventions presents a substantial value delivered to our client.

The successful reduction of flour dust levels to 2mg/m3, in line with the Health and Safety Executive's good practice guidelines, has been a testament to our effective approach and an indicator of the substantial value we delivered to the bakery. Previously, the operatives were exposed to flour dust levels surpassing the Workplace Exposure Limit, presenting potential health risks. With our intervention and the implementation of our recommended practices, we achieved a significant reduction in dust levels, thereby enhancing the health and safety conditions of the work environment.

This has not only improved the immediate working conditions for the employees but also helped protect their long-term health by reducing the risk of developing respiratory conditions associated with chronic flour dust exposure. A safer working environment can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction, less absenteeism, and a reduction in health-related complications.

Furthermore, by complying with the HSE good practice guidelines, the bakery has mitigated potential legal risks and associated costs, contributing to the business's sustainability and reputation for safeguarding its employees' health and wellbeing. Overall, this project underscores our expertise in identifying, managing, and mitigating occupational health risks, reflecting our commitment to fostering healthier, safer work environments.