Food for thought from Filtermist
One of the main risks to employee health within food manufacturing facilities is the quality of the air .
Research proves that flour dust can act as an irritant which causes short-term respiratory , nasal and eye problems for workers , as well as potentially triggering asthma among those who suffer with the condition - flour dust is the UK ’ s second most common cause of occupational asthma according to the Health and Safety Executive . Exposure to high levels over a prolonged period of time can also lead to longer-term illnesses including allergic rhinitis .
What can employers do ?
Using Local Exhaust Ventilation ( LEV ) to reduce flour dust is an approved way of minimising the risk to employees as well as guaranteeing companies are operating within the legal emissions limits .
Once an appropriate LEV system is installed , visual checks should be regularly undertaken to ensure the system is performing as intended , and it should be thoroughly tested by a competent person at least once every 14 months under HSE guidelines .
It ’ s the duty of employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees is protected .
How we can help Filtermist ’ s dedicated systems division includes experienced design and contracts engineers who have delivered a wide range of customised air movement and pollution control systems for many leading food producers including Cadbury , Halo Foods , Taylors of Harrogate , Weetabix and Ryvita .
Dustcheck from Filtermist Filtermist ’ s Dustcheck brand includes dust control products specifically designed for use in food environments and all of our filters and dust collectors can all be adapted to meet the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group ( EHEDG ) hygiene requirements of the food industry and Good Manufacturing Practice ( GMP ) in the food industry .
Dustcheck Product Manager , Andy Darby , comments , “ Dustcheck products are used in a number of applications in the food industry . Our standards of construction vary from mild steel with standard or special paint finishes to stainless steel with finishes from standard sheet with welds as laid , to special crack and crevice free polished finishes .
“ All of our filters come with ATEX rated options meaning potentially explosive and volatile products , such as flour , can be handled safely . They can also be built to comply with Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations ( DSEAR ) where applicable .”
For more information visit www . filtermist . co . uk , call 01952 290500 or email sales @ filtermist . co . uk
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To discover how we can improve your production environment visit www . filtermist . co . uk
or speak to one of our sales team + 44 ( 0 ) 1952 290500 sales @ filtermist . com
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