mapping current risks to respiratory health in the uk ... current risks to respiratory health in the...

Mapping Current Risks to Respiratory Health in the UK Bakery IndustryMapping Current Risks to Respiratory Health in Mapping Current Risks to Respiratory Health in

the UK Bakery Industrythe UK Bakery IndustryPlant, medium sized, and craft bakeriesPlant, medium sized, and craft bakeries

Prepared by the Health & Safety Laboratory

Mapping Current Risks to Respiratory Health in the UK Bakery Industry

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InformationInformationSummary & actionsSummary & actions

Introduction & AimsIntroduction & Aims MethodologyMethodology ResultsResults


Introduction

CustomerHSE Long LatencyDisease Project

Project managed by:

HSL: Angela Curtis

HSL Project team:Jade SumnerMicah Stocks-GreavesIan SmithShamim RahmanGareth Evans

Introduction

HSE’s Respiratory Disease Project (RDP) set up a national initiative in April 2006 to reduce exposure to flour dust. This involved HSE inspectors & Local Authority Environmental Health Officers.

Partnership work with major supermarkets, Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), trade unions and others was also set up to develop standards for control of flour dust at ‘in-store’ bakeries.

Between 2004-2006, the ACTS working group identified a number of areas for future activity one of which was to evaluatethe effectiveness of intervention work on flour dust exposure

To date, the intervention work by HSE and other stakeholders has not been appraised for its impact on reducing exposure to flour dust and enzyme allergens.

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Aims & Objectives Aim: To map current control practice and information about current exposure to flour in the GB baking industry (excluding non-bakery premises and supermarket bakeries),

Objectives: To identify who is currently at risk from exposure to flour dustand other bakery allergensTo understand why they are at riskTo inform future HSE initiatives to reduce exposure to flour dust.

Other organisations supporting this work:The Federation of BakersAssociation of Bakery Ingredient ManufacturersNational Association of Master Bakers




Methods &Protocol

Preparation stageConsultation with industry representatives to gain support for work.Consultation with HSE/HSL & LA staff involved in previous intervention work. Collection of data on actions taken to control exposure to flourdusts and enzyme allergens by the industry, by HSE and by other stakeholders.Development of questionnaires and observation proforma for site visits to bakeries

Delivery stageDevelopment of questionnaires and observation proformas A survey of eighteen bakeries (3 plant, 5 medium sized & 9 small / craft) with forty-one staff (bakers, supervisors & managers) interviewed ‘in depth’ & hygiene observations carried outAnalysis & summary of interview & observation data to identify those at risk of exposure to flour dust and enzyme allergens


MethodsMethods

ObservationsObservations


The observation proforma:

This was split into categories to record observations or behaviours associated with:

HazardsControls Training Observations

In addition representative photographs were taken with consent from the employer and employees.

When the survey had been completed the observation data was summarised in tables and the risk status rated using a ‘traffic light’system.

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MethodsMethods

QuestionnaireQuestionnaire


The following questions were addressed:

Evidence of exposure to flour dust and enzyme improvers Staff understanding about the hazards encountered in working with flour and improversEvidence of actions taken by the company and individual to reduce exposure to flour dusts Use of control measures and protective equipmentTraining provided by staff related to work with flour and improvers Additional questions were asked about provision of health surveillance

Three different questionnaires were prepared for the managers, supervisors and staff working at plant, medium sized and craft bakeries.

When the questionnaires were completed the observation data wassummarised in tables and the level of concern raised indicated by a colour code·


MethodologyMethodologySummarising the level of concern about exposure:

The study did not monitor personal exposure to flour dust and enzymes and did not examine prevalence of symptoms

Judgements about exposure to flour and enzymes were based on answers to specific questions and on observations made during the visits.

Caveats:

These judgements were based on ‘the day of observation’ not on repeated observations.

The underlying assumption of the survey was that poor knowledge and inappropriate actions were more likely to put a person at risk of exposure and risk of ill health.


Results Results

Summarising Summarising the datathe data

To summarise the data the following factors were considered:

A standardised questionnaire and observation proforma were used across the bakeries.

Additional information provided by HSE and by the industry has been added to the MindMap but has not been used to in this assessment because:

This data concerned different companies

The data was historical and not current

The quality and amount of this data varied


Assessing risk:

Answers to questions were rated on the quality of the information and depth of understanding shown. The question and observational data were rated using a three-point scale (Red = high concern, Amber = medium concern, Green = lower concern). Where cells were left blank either the question was irrelevant or the company was unable to provide someone for interview.

Seven key areas were examined using the questionnaires and observations:

1) Knowledge about flour dust & enzymes as health hazards 2) Risk assessment: Evidence & understanding of the risk

assessment process3) Actions taken by the company to control flour & improver dusts4) Individual actions to control flour & improver dusts5) Use of personal protective equipment6) Training & skills related to controlling flour dust7) Use of guidance to inform control strategies·


MethodsMethods

Assessing Assessing exposureexposure


ResultsResults

Time LineTime Line



ResultsResults

Summary of Summary of bakeries bakeries visitedvisited



Results Results

Plant bakeriesPlant bakeries

SummarySummary



Results Results

Medium sized Medium sized bakeriesbakeries

SummarySummary



The results suggested a lower level of concern applied to work at the plant bakeries.

In the plant bakeries most staff appeared to have a basic understanding of the health risks associated with flour dust and this translated into actions taken by the management, and personal actions taken by staff.

There were some senior staff that did not consider flour dust a priority compared to other aspects of health and safety.

More reliance was placed on engineering control solutions. One company encouraged staff to learn from failings in the safety systems and share these lessons with other staff

SummarySummary




The risks to staff working in medium sized bakeries were greater and gave cause for more concern although there there was more variation between these businesses.

The increased risks may reflect the difficulty of managing smaller businesses and the expense of complex engineering solutions and staff training.

Not all of the problems encountered in these bakeries required the application of expensive control solutions: in many cases guidance about effective use of practical control solutions was required.

Managers made less use of guidance provided by HSE (and others) suggesting the need to promote awareness of these materials amongst this group.

SummarySummary


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Health Health surveillancesurveillance

Plant bakeriesAll plants visited had put in place occupational health surveillance with either ‘in house’ services or services provided by external contractors.

Medium sized bakeriesThe level of provision varied from basic health surveillance to reporting respiratory illness to line managers. In some of bakeries employees were unsure what to do if they developed symptoms.



FeedbackFeedback Examples of feedback from bakersMedium sized bakery (Knowledge of hazards and risks)“Would like information on causes of occupational asthma and what the health effects are…a similar approach to stop smoking campaign is needed.”Craft bakery (Guidance)“There is a need for simple, clear HSE guidance aimed at craft bakeries with practical examples of what people can do with photos to illustrate this.”“It is difficult to reduce levels of flour dust in a small bakery as lots of the guidance available is not practical for the smaller bakery.”Craft bakery (PPE)“Masks are not practical in a small bakery. I am on lots of different jobs so I have to keep taking it off and on. If I knewmore I might wear one.”



Suggestions Suggestions for changefor change


HSE may wish to consider whether more guidance can be provided for health & safety training of senior managers at large plant bakeries. This would include more content on risks to health from flour and improver enzymes.This initiative would require partnership with industry (e.g., FOB) to identify standards of ‘good practice’ and material that could be used to contribute to the industries 'Blue Book‘



Suggestions Suggestions for changefor change


Promote greater awareness of HSE’s current guidance for mechanised baking.

Identify case studies of medium sized companies that have developed ‘good practice’ and willing to share across this part of the bakery sector and via skills councils.

Develop content on risks to health from work with flour dust and enzyme allergens for training provided to managers of medium sized bakeries. The training would include risk assessment and implementing risk assessment plans. This initiative would require partnership with industry

HSE consider whether current advice about use of mobile exhaust ventilation is available and understood by those purchasing this equipment.



InformationInformationCopy of main reportCopy of main reportCopy of the report Annex 1 Copy of the report Annex 1 Copy of the report Annex 2 Copy of the report Annex 2

Bakery Sector MindMapBakery Sector MindMap



Results Results

Small / craft Small / craft bakeriesbakeries

SummarySummary



ResultsResults

Mind MappingMind Mapping

For the Bakery evaluation project, HSL constructed a Mindjet map, which includes seven key topics to organise the following information:

HSE work on reducing exposure to flour dustBakery sector work on reducing exposure to flour dustSummary of the current survey of bakeriesBakery enforcement and legislation informationInformation about bakery industry stakeholdersDefinitions & terms & structure of GB bakery industryTimeline of work carried out following the ACTS 2004 paperInformation on occupational health reporting

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