Cited by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the second highest cause of occupational asthma, exposure to flour dust poses serious health risks for workers if uncontrolled.

David Clarkson, Filtermist’s Technical Sales Support Lead, recently looked at the added danger of flour dust explosions in food production and the various control measures employers should implement to protect their work force.

“Flour dust is highly combustible and can cause devastating explosions if allowed to accumulate and become airborne in a confined workplace," said David. "When this takes place, flour particles form a flammable ‘dust cloud’ that can result in an explosion taking place if exposed to a heat source.”

There are set guidelines as to what levels of dust are permissible within a workplace.  These are published by the HSE and are stated within EH40 'Workplace Exposure Limits'; every employer is responsible for ensuring that their workplace does not exceed the Work Exposure Limits (WELs). For flour dust, the WEL is 10 milligrams per cubic metre of air (mg/m3), measured over an 8-hour TWA. If employers cannot completely eliminate exposure, they must make sure that it is reduced to a level as low as possible below the WEL.

Managing flour dust exposure is not a choice, it is a legal necessity. Employers should ensure the following control methods are used to protect their employees from exposure to flour dust:

1. Implement and use an effective dust extraction LEV system to control the issue at source - this includes dust collectors that are suitable for use in Dust Zones as per the ATEX Directives, and dedicated products including sack tipping collectors
2. Use industrial ‘Class H’ rated industrial vacuum cleaners and CVC (centralised vacuum cleaning) systems - this is much safer than cleaning with compressed air, or sweeping up with brushes and brooms which spread airborne particles around
3. Ensure people handling flour always wear appropriate PPE

Detailed advice on controlling exposure to flour dust can be found in the COSHH Essentials sheets published by the HSE. The HSE's hierarchy of controls can be found here - if the hazard cannot be eliminated or substituted, employers should implement effective engineering controls such as LEV extraction systems.

There are a variety of tasks in the food production industry where flour dust can be present. These include sack tipping, filling gravity or mechanically fed hoppers where displaced air is generated, filtering air from pneumatic conveying systems allowing the clean air to return back to atmospheric pressure, using dough brake roll machines, dusting products with flour and cleaning areas where flour is regularly used.

Filtermist's industrial dust extraction LEV systems range includes a wide range of dust control equipment designed specifically for use in potentially explosive atmospheres including our own Dustcheck brand and products from sister company Absolent AB. The Dustcheck AirGuard and Maxi dust collectors are widely used in the food industry, and the brand new AD range from Absolent includes a number of ATEX options including explosion relief panels, flame deflectors and flameless explosion vents.

ATEX rated Kerstar vacuum cleaners, manufactured by Filtermist, are another prime example of an effective ATEX certified solution for managing combustible dust. Equipped with a range of features which make them suitable for use in Dust Zones 21 and 22, Kerstar vacuums are purpose-built for capturing hazardous flour dust before it can gather to create a flammable dust cloud.  

“At Filtermist, we are dedicated to providing our customers with state-of-the-art dust extraction systems that ensure cleaner, safer, healthier and more productive workplaces," says David. "Our dust team includes experts who have worked in this industry for many many years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with a wide range of airborne dust and powders including flour dust."

Filtermist offers free LEV site audits to help companies assess their existing control measures.

Contact us now to arrange a free site audit.