The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a series of nationwide inspections across large bakeries to address a long‑standing but often underestimated hazard: exposure to flour dust and other airborne bakery ingredients. These inspections, running from January 2026, aim to ensure that employers are taking proper steps to protect workers in dusty environments from respiratory risks including occupational asthma and respiratory sensitisation.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)

The HSE state that employers must follow the COSHH hierarchy of controls, and will assess bakeries on whether they have suitably managed their risks by:

• Elimination: Removal of dusty processes (e.g. using non-stick belts instead of flour dusting)
• Substitution: Replacing dusty ingredients with low-dust alternatives (e.g. with gel-based ingredients or low-dust flour or wet flour)
• Ventilation: Consider local exhaust ventilation or engineering controls
• Last resort: Implementing respiratory protection (RPE) as a last resort if the above measures cannot fully eliminate risk

Health surveillance

Employers of large bakeries should also ensure that health surveillance is in place for workers in high-risk environments for occupational asthma and respiratory sensitisation. Further information on the health surveillance required can be found in the COSHH Essentials General Guidance.

What can you do to prepare for inspection?

Alongside adhering to the COSHH hierarchy of controls outlined and ensuring heath surveillance is in place, bakeries can prepare for HSE inspections using the steps below to ensure bast practice is maintained throughout the workplace.

• Engineer effective controls: Install local exhaust ventilation (LEV) at sources such as ingredient tipping points, sifters, weigh stations, mixers, and dough handling area. These should be inspected daily to ensure they are working properly, and regular maintenance should be scheduled
• Ensure good cleaning practices: The HSE advise that four should never be cleared by sweeping or using compressed air, as this increases the risk of exposure. Using wet cleaning methods or industrial vacuum cleaners (minimum M class) should be used to safely clear dust. Employers should ensure that cleaning SOPs are clear, and that staff are trained appropriately. Good cleaning practices should be monitored and enforced by supervisors
• Standardise dust‑minimising work practices: Review workplace practices and ensure all workers are trained to avoid creating dust clouds during tipping, sieving, weighing and dough dusting. Introduce and reinforce controlled tipping techniques, enclosed transfer points, and measured dosing to prevent over‑application
• Review and prepare documentation: Ensure all appropriate documentation has been collated for ease of review. This should include, but is not limited to: COSHH assessments, risk assessments, LEV maintenance records, training records, exposure monitoring reports, health surveillance information and workplace policies or SOPs
• Prepare workers for upcoming inspections: Ensure all workers are prepared for a potential upcoming HSE inspection. Ensure best practices are upheld, and inspectors are able to complete their reviews without delay.

Reducing occupational exposure

Ultimately, HSE’s message is simple: preventing exposure prevents disease. By prioritising elimination, substitution, and robust control measures, bakeries can protect their workforce and promote good working practices.

If you have any questions about occupational dust exposure or dust monitoring, contact us at enquiries@lrbconsulting.co.uk, or call us on 01509 55 00 23

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Ensuring risk assessments are in place to identify hazards and ensure the control measures in place are sufficient are vital in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of workers. Neglecting to identify risks and put procedures in place could result in prosecution, as the case below demonstrates.

HSE Prosecution

In July 2025, Middlesbrough-based Abbey Joinery and Manufacture Limited were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay a further £4,428 in costs after a surprise inspection by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uncovered serious safety breaches relating to dust and electrical systems.

Inspectors found that workers were being exposed to hazardous wood dust, a known cause of asthma, dermatitis and sino-nasal cancer, due to inadequate control measures. In addition, improper installation exposed wiring posed a significant risk of electric shock.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of their employees.

The HSE emphasised that these risks were entirely preventable and highlighted the importance of regular maintenance, proper dust extraction systems, and safe electrical practices.

Speaking on the case, HSE inspector Darren Dundas said:

“There is clear health and safety guidance available to assist businesses in adequately controlling exposure to wood dust.”

“The inspection and testing of equipment is also an essential part of any preventive maintenance programme”

Do you know what to do when an inspector calls?

We can provide practical support with dust monitoring, training and retained support to ensure safe working conditions. Get in touch today to start a conversation about safe site management.

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Nathan Cook, HSE senior enforcement lawyer, told Chester Magistrates Court, how a visit in December 2019 found significant breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) – resulting in six improvement notices being served. These included requirements for the company to undertake statutory examinations of its wood dust extraction systems and to undertake face fit testing for those employees required to wear tight fitting face masks.

The HSE identified several examples of lack of control of dust in the workplace:

However, another visit to the same premises in November 2021 found identical breaches and again improvement notices were served.

This inspection came as part of HSE’s national campaign targeting woodworking businesses. The significant occupational health risks associated with wood dust and the continued failure to ensure control of exposure to wood dust resulted in HSE prosecuting the company.

Pineland Furniture Limited pleaded guilty to breaching regulations 7(1) and 9(2)(a) of COSHH. They were fined £16,000 and was ordered to pay £3008 costs at a hearing at Chester Magistrates Court on 11^th October 2023.

HSE inspectors identified that Pineland Furniture had failed to protect its workers from wood dust:

After the hearing, HSE inspector Ian Betley said:

Wood dust is a substance hazardous to health because it can cause serious non-reversible health problems, including asthma; dermatitis; and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.

Occupational lung disease causes the death of 12,000 people in Great Britain annually, and there are an estimated 19,000 new cases of breathing and lung problems each year, where individuals regarded their condition as being caused or made worse by work.

It is important to carry out statutory thorough examinations of extraction equipment and ensure face fit testing, as required by COSHH to help prevent ill health.

We will not hesitate to take enforcement action when necessary to make sure workers’ health is protected.

The preceding article contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Need help tackling your workplace Health and Safety issues? Contact LRB Consulting Limited  – 01509 550023

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Failure to prevent life-threatening diseases caused by dust at work is unacceptable, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as it gears up for a summer targeting construction sites across Great Britain.

Supported by HSE’s Dust Kills campaign, which provides free advice to businesses and workers on the control measures required to prevent exposure to dust, the inspections throughout May, June and July will focus on respiratory risks from exposure to dust.

Exposure to dust leads to Occupational Disease

Each year in the construction industry, there are thousands of preventable cases of irreversible lung disease due to past exposure to dust at work. These diseases often have a life-changing impact and can result in an early death.

HSE’s chief inspector of construction, Michael Thomas, said: “Every year we see construction workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work. This is unacceptable in the 21^st century, when occupational lung disease is preventable.

“We are urging employers and workers to take the necessary precautions today to protect their long-term lung health, to avoid them and their families suffering from the devastating impact that can result.”

Starting on Monday, 15 May 2023, the inspections,  part of a respiratory health intervention initiative, will specifically focus on dust control, checking employers and workers know the risks, plan their work, and are using the right controls.

Inspectors will be checking the control measures in place to protect workers from inhaling construction dusts including silica (Respirable Crystalline Silica/RCS) and wood dust.  They will also gain assurances that asbestos containing materials have been identified and removed or managed where necessary to prevent or reduce exposure.

The initiative is supported by HSE’s Dust Kills campaign. This provides simplified advice and guidance on the Work Right website, for employers, small builders and workers, to help everyone understand the risks and how to stay healthy on site.

The primary aim of the inspection initiative is to ensure workers’ health is being protected. However, if safety risks or other areas of concern are identified, inspectors will take the necessary action to deal with them.

Michael Thomas continued: “Our inspectors will visit a range of construction sites to check businesses are taking the necessary action to ensure their workers’ long-term respiratory health is being protected. Through  engaging with those on site, we can make sure they have considered the job from start to finish, have considered the risks at each stage, and are managing the risks with effective measures in line with the broad hierarchy of control options such as water suppression, extraction, and as a last resort Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE).

For more information visit the Work Right campaign page.

HSE has partnered with construction and occupational health organisations to highlight the control measures required on site to prevent exposure to dust. The network of Dust Kills partners includes Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), Construction Leadership Council (CLC), Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) and Construction Dust Partnership.

Educate yourselves and your workers – be aware that DUST KILLS 

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HSE inspectors will, over the next few weeks, be focusing some of their time and effort on construction, woodworking and food manufacturing where occupational lung diseases, including in some cases occupational cancers, are more common. They will be asking what measures have been put in place to protect workers’ lungs from the likes of asbestos, silica and wood dust.

Inspectors are visiting businesses across the country to see what measures have been put in place to protect workers’ lungs from the likes of asbestos, silica, wood and flour dust. They will be looking for evidence of businesses and their workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls. Where necessary, HSE will use enforcement to make sure people are protected.

HSE chief medical officer David Fishwick said:

Exposure to asbestos, silica, wood, flour and other dust can have life-changing consequences. Each year work-related lung diseases linked to past exposures are estimated to kill 12,000 workers across Great Britain. In many cases, these diseases take a long time to develop after exposure, so the damage done may not be immediately obvious. Others, such as occupational asthma and acute silicosis, can occur more quickly.

These conditions can and do have a significant impact on both the individuals affected and those closest to them, so it is imperative that workers take the necessary precautions to protect their lungs.

HSE chief inspector of construction Sarah Jardine added:

We are carrying out this series of inspections to ensure businesses are fulfilling their legal duties to protect workers from harm. This includes controlling the levels of dust in workplaces.

We want to ensure employers and their workers are aware of the risks associated with any task that produces dust. Such work needs to be properly planned and use the right controls, such as water suppression, extraction and masks.

The bottom line is we want everyone, workers and their employers, to be protected from harm and ill health so they can go home healthy to their families.

HSE Publication: Construction Dust

Construction Dust

Construction dust is not just a nuisance; it is a real risk to your lungs. Regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases like lung cancer, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and silicosis. Construction workers have a high risk of developing these diseases because many common construction tasks can create high dust levels.

These diseases cause permanent disability and early death. Over 500 construction workers are believed to die from exposure to silica dust every year.

Construction Dust is a general term used to what may be found on a construction site. There are three main types:

• Silica dust – Silica is a natural mineral present in large amounts in things like sand, sandstone and granite. It is also commonly found in many construction materials such as concrete and mortar. The silica is broken into very fine dust (also known as Respirable Crystalline Silica or RCS) during many common tasks such as cutting, drilling and grinding. It is often called silica dust (see also Control of exposure to silica dust: A guide for employees).
• Non-silica dust – There are a number of construction products where silica is either not found or present in very low amounts. The most common ones include gypsum, cement, limestone, marble and dolomite. This dust is also mixed with silica dust when cutting things like bricks.
• Wood dust – Wood is widely used in construction and is found in two main forms; softwood and hardwood. Wood-based products are also commonly used including MDF and chipboard (see also Wood dust).

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Inspectors are visiting businesses across the country to see what measures have been put in place to protect workers’ lungs from the likes of asbestos, silica, wood and flour dust. They will be looking for evidence of businesses and their workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls. Where necessary, HSE will use enforcement to make sure people are protected.

HSE chief medical officer David Fishwick said:

Exposure to asbestos, silica, wood, flour and other dust can have life-changing consequences. Each year work-related lung diseases linked to past exposures are estimated to kill 12,000 workers across Great Britain. In many cases, these diseases take a long time to develop after exposure, so the damage done may not be immediately obvious. Others, such as occupational asthma and acute silicosis, can occur more quickly.

These conditions can and do have a significant impact on both the individuals affected and those closest to them, so it is imperative that workers take the necessary precautions to protect their lungs.

HSE chief inspector of construction Sarah Jardine added:

We are carrying out this series of inspections to ensure businesses are fulfilling their legal duties to protect workers from harm. This includes controlling the levels of dust in workplaces.

We want to ensure employers and their workers are aware of the risks associated with any task that produces dust. Such work needs to be properly planned and use the right controls, such as water suppression, extraction and masks.

The bottom line is we want everyone, workers and their employers, to be protected from harm and ill health so they can go home healthy to their families.

HSE Publication: Construction Dust

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Construction Cancer Risk – Respirable Crystalline Silica

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