Legal expert supporting workers with occupational asthma welcomes HSE's bakery inspections to reduce exposure to flour dust

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced a new programme of inspections targeting large bakeries across Great Britain, aimed at reducing workers’ exposure to flour dust and other airborne allergens. 

The initiative puts a renewed spotlight on the legal responsibilities of employers to manage and prevent exposure to hazardous substances, particularly those known to cause occupational asthma.

In my work, I represent individuals whose lives have been profoundly affected by workplace exposure and continue to see the devastating impact of flour dust on respiratory health. I'm currently acting for a bakery worker suffering from work‑related asthma, a case which emphasises the importance of proactive risk management, especially in an industry where hazardous dusts remain commonplace.

Flour dust is one of the most common causes of occupational asthma in Great Britain, and once a worker becomes sensitised to flour, even minimal exposure can trigger severe and often irreversible symptoms. Many routine bakery tasks such as dusting flour, tipping and dispensing dry ingredients, or cleaning spillages, can generate airborne particles that linger long after the task is completed. 

The hierarchy of controls is a legal obligation

A key focus of the HSE’s inspections will be whether employers are following the hierarchy of controls set out in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH). 

This structured approach requires employers to prioritise the most effective measures, such as those that remove or reduce the hazard at source, before relying on less effective personal protective equipment (PPE).

Under COSHH, employers must demonstrate that they have considered the following;

1. Elimination

Removing dusty processes entirely, for example, replacing flour dusting with non‑stick belts or using automatic sensors to prevent unnecessary flour dispersal. 

2. Substitution

Switching to low‑dust flour or using liquid or gel‑based ingredients wherever reasonably practicable. 

3. Engineering Controls

Installing effective local exhaust ventilation (LEV) or containment systems to capture dust at source.

4. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

Used only as a last resort when higher‑level controls cannot fully remove risk.

It's important to highlight that this hierarchy isn’t optional, it's embedded in law. Employers must show not just that they have implemented controls, but that they have chosen the most effective ones available. Relying on masks alone is simply not sufficient.

Health surveillance: An essential safeguard

The HSE’s inspection programme will also assess whether bakeries have appropriate health surveillance arrangements in place for workers exposed to flour and other respiratory sensitisers. 

This is critical for early detection of symptoms and preventing long‑term harm.

Symptoms of occupational asthma and its long-term effects

Occupational asthma affects the airways, causing them to become inflamed and narrowed. This can lead to chronic symptoms which may worsen during the working week and improve when away from work such as:

• Wheezing
• Breathlessness
• Chest tightness
• Persistent coughing

It can also lead to long term health problems:

• If exposure continues, asthma may become chronic and irreversible, even after leaving the environment that caused it.
• Increased vulnerability to respiratory infections
• Reduced overall lung function

Occupational asthma can significantly affect a person’s employment leading to a decline in productivity and concentration. It can also lead to increased sickness or absences from work as a result of needing time to recover from symptoms. A person may be required to move to a different role, which could be lower paid or less skilled and, in some circumstances, they may have to leave their job entirely. 

What this means for employers in the baking industry

This new enforcement wave should serve as a wake‑up call. Employers must ensure:

• They have conducted proper COSHH assessments.
• Controls follow the mandatory hierarchy and prioritise elimination and substitution.
• Ventilation and extraction systems are fit for purpose and properly maintained.
• Workers receive training on safe handling of flour and other dusty ingredients.
• Health surveillance is robust, recorded, and acted upon.

The HSE has made clear that too many workers are suffering avoidable harm, and that meaningful compliance, not box‑ticking, is required. As Mike Calcutt, Deputy Director at HSE, stated, preventing exposure removes the risk of asthma entirely. 

Providing legal support to those affected

From a legal perspective, these inspections underline a longstanding truth: where employers fail to control exposure adequately, they face not only enforcement action but also civil claims from affected workers.

My ongoing case is a stark reminder of the human cost of inadequate controls. My client’s life has been impacted by an illness that could and should have been prevented. Effective dust control is not just good practice; it is a moral and legal duty.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting employees diagnosed with life-changing illnesses and conditions as a result of their work at our dedicated industrial disease claims section.