This Baking Industry in addition to CoSHH

One industry which has the greatest rate of occupational asthma may be the baking industry. Each year, 90 new cases per 100,000 workers are diagnosed.

Substances found in baking which are hazardous to health include flour dust baking class in singapore, improver dusts containing enzymes and flavour enhancers. Common ingredients found in flour and enzymes containing certain additives are the 2nd most common reason behind occupational asthma. Once a worker is now sensitised to flour dust exposure they're more vulnerable to having asthma attacks. These dangers affect not only those in bakeries but those in flour mills and kitchens also.

An instance study reported the findings of a 51 year old male bakery maintenance fitter. He had worked in the bakery for 20 years and just before working there had never had asthma and had never smoked.

Over a 15 year period, he experienced breathlessness, wheezing and coughing that has been gradually getting worse each year. His eyes would frequently become red and watery while at the office and he might have bouts of sneezing. He had also noticed that after he was far from work his symptoms dramatically reduced.

Eventually, after discussions with a trade union representative, it had been suggested that the worker had occupational asthma. Following a series of tests, results showed that the worker had better lung function at weekends. Further tests indicated an allergy to flour dust.

Once the tests were concluded, the management at his workplace put measures set up to avoid him from in very dusty areas. His managers also improved the dust extraction equipment and equipped him with respiratory protective wear. Medicine has also helped improve his symptoms, however, his health remains poor because of chronic asthma and he receives disability benefit consequently of this.

It's imperative that employers are alert to CoSHH legislation in relation to the effects of inhaling flour dust and the implications. Exposure must certanly be well below the WEL of 10mg/m3.

Employees must certanly be protected by using control measures such as for example dust extraction and personal protective equipment.

Workers also need to avoid raising clouds of dust which might occur when throwing flour, getting rid of empty flour bags and from sieving and dough making. It could be advisable to avoid sweeping up if possible and instead cleanup using wet methods or a commercial vacuum cleaner.