Flour Dust

Control Measures

Occupational exposure to flour dust can occur in kitchens as well as in the baking and milling industries. Certain activities such as bag emptying, sieving, mixing, dough making, dusting, disposing of empty flour bags and sweeping up flour can all generate dust.

As flour dust is a respiratory sensitiser (asthmagen) it is necessary to reduce exposure so far as is reasonably practicable.

To adequately control flour dust it is likely a combination of good working practices will be required to reduce worker exposure.

When using flour, first consider if it’s possible to complete the task without creating risks to health. Safer alternatives may be able to be used such as ingredients in liquid form rather than powder. Low-dust wheat flour can be used or a less-allergenic substance e.g. rice flour as a lubricant and for hand dusting. 

Low-dust flour can vastly reduce flour dust by up to 86% when sieving, and 78% when tipping and pouring. It has the added benefit of lowering flour wastage. The benefits of Low Dust Flour are demonstrated in a video produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Other simple measures such as non-stick coatings on conveyors and greaseproof paper on trays are good ways of reducing flour use.

In some cases it may be necessary to use engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) designed to take harmful dust away from a person’s breathing zone. These are often referred to as extraction systems.

Where LEV is used, employers should ensure that employees are trained on how to operate the equipment and that it has been suitably maintained and thoroughly examined so as to ensure it is performing as intended. Further information on LEV systems is available within HSE guidance entitled Controlling airborne contaminants at work: A guide to local exhaust ventilation (LEV) HSG258.

Other control measures may be very straightforward and include the following:

• Avoid dry brush sweeping and using compressed airlines for cleaning. Use high efficiency vacuums or wet cleaning.
• Enclose work processes as much as possible to stop flour dust escaping and spreading around the workplace. Measures may be as simple as ensuring solid lids are placed on mixers.
• Ensure ingredients in powder form are not tipped from a height into mixing bowls to avoid plumes of dust.
• Minimise airborne dust when folding and disposing of empty bags. Roll bags from the bottom while tipping and avoid the need to flatten or fold empty bags.
• Start up mixers on slow speed until wet and dry ingredients are combined.
• Consider separating the mixing area from the remainder of the production area to stop flour dust spreading.
• Wear suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) with a particulate filter for any essential short non-routine dusty tasks.

Where a respirator is needed:

• RPE with a UK Standard Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of at least 20 will normally be required e.g. FFP3.
• Workers must have had a face-fit test to ensure tight-fitting respirators fit properly and be clean shaven for this type of respirator to work effectively.
• Workers should be trained to use, check and clean the respirator.
• The filters or disposable respirators should be changed regularly.
• The equipment should be stored in a clean, dust-free place such as a container.
• If any defects are found, or the respirator does not fit, is dirty or its filter is old, it should be replaced.

The following HSE COSHH essentials information sheets are designed to provide practical advice for controlling exposure to flour dust in the production and use of flour.

• Bag opening, tipping and dough mixing (FL1)
• Weighing and handling flour improvers (FL2)
• Dough moulding and dividing (FL3)
• Flour bagging (FL5)
• Manual addition of bulk improvers to flour in flour milling (FL6)

Further advice is contained within the HSE publication entitled Bakers – time to clear the air!