Hazardous Substances Bedfordshire

Hazardous Substance Assessment in Dunstable

In January 2025, a Hazardous Substance Assessment was carried out at a site in Dunstable to check how much exposure workers had to things like dust, vapours and cleaning chemicals used during sorting, washing, drying and garment processing tasks. The idea was to get a clear view of how these substances could affect air quality and worker health and whether any improvements were needed.

All measured substances were below workplace exposure limits, including total inhalable and respirable dust, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and VOCs like toluene and xylene. But several areas showed signs that ventilation systems weren’t working as they should. In some cases, air was being blown in rather than extracted and fumes were spreading across open-plan workspaces.

The report suggested urgent maintenance of the LEV systems, better use of PPE (like nitrile gloves) and ongoing monitoring to keep things in check. It also highlighted the importance of staff training and regular checks to keep exposure as low as reasonably possible.

With these small but important steps, the site can keep its air clean and its team safe and healthy.