Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
Bread_2019  
#1 Posted : 01 November 2019 14:37:21(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Bread_2019

Good afternoon everyone.

Do I have to do COSHH Risk Assessment for every single type of flour and oil, which we use in our bakery?

Thank you in advance. 

Roundtuit  
#2 Posted : 01 November 2019 14:46:55(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Even though the enzymes may vary it is primarily the dust you are seeking to control.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/baking.htm

I wouldn't consider (olive?) oil as hazardous except where it is spilled on the floor presenting a slip hazard so no COSHH assessment more Risk Assessement

thanks 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
jwk on 01/11/2019(UTC), A Kurdziel on 01/11/2019(UTC), jwk on 01/11/2019(UTC), A Kurdziel on 01/11/2019(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 01 November 2019 14:46:55(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Even though the enzymes may vary it is primarily the dust you are seeking to control.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/baking.htm

I wouldn't consider (olive?) oil as hazardous except where it is spilled on the floor presenting a slip hazard so no COSHH assessment more Risk Assessement

thanks 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
jwk on 01/11/2019(UTC), A Kurdziel on 01/11/2019(UTC), jwk on 01/11/2019(UTC), A Kurdziel on 01/11/2019(UTC)
George_Young  
#4 Posted : 01 November 2019 14:50:10(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
George_Young

Originally Posted by: Bread_2019 Go to Quoted Post

Good afternoon everyone.

Do I have to do COSHH Risk Assessment for every single type of flour and oil, which we use in our bakery?

Thank you in advance. 

It would depend if there is a difference in risks.

If each flour was used in the same way and presented all the same risks and required the same control measures, I would use the same assessment and state on my assessment the types of flours

HSSnail  
#5 Posted : 01 November 2019 15:29:10(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Some "plant extrac" oils can cause occupational dermatitis including olive oil (but it is rare) so you do need to consider its use - a COSHH assessment by any other name!

chris.packham  
#6 Posted : 02 November 2019 17:44:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham

The baking profession is one where occupational contact dermatitis is considered a relatively high risk. It isn't the flour as such that is the main cause but the chemicals that are added to it, e.g. 'flour improvers'. Many of these are sensitisers and where the flour is worked by hand an appropriate COSHH risk assessment is advisable. If you want more on this PPM me with your e-mail address and I will respond in more depth.

hilary  
#7 Posted : 04 November 2019 08:38:48(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
hilary

I would say no to the COSHH assessment, you only need to assess harmful products.  However, you do need a DSEAR assessment as flour is explosive.

Ian Bell2  
#8 Posted : 04 November 2019 09:35:38(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell2

Flour does have the potential to be harmful, it can cause asthma, so CoSHH assessment is required.

DSEAR assessment also required, as stated flour dust can be explosive.

A Kurdziel  
#9 Posted : 04 November 2019 09:52:01(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

You don’t need a COSHH risk assessment for flour and water or for any other substance. You need a COSHH assessment if you have identified a process that might lead to people being exposed to a hazardous substance.  Are flour and oil hazardous substances? Well, flour definitely is; there is guidance from HSE on this topic- http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/industry/baking.htm.

Olive oil is bit more tricky a. It is foodstuff and as such exempt for the CLP regulations, so it does not come with an SDS but I can imagine is causing an issue with some people. Olive oil is not one of the 14 foods listed as possible allergens in the Food Safety regulations.

As you are looking at the process not the substances, you do not need to “Do” a COSHH for every variation of floor or olive you might come across.  You need to identify the controls that might be needed   effective against all of the possible risks.  In the case of flour the main risk is inhaling flour dust, so you need to control that. Olive oil, where there is no obvious risk but you need to do some sort of basic health surveillance especially skin.

chris.packham  
#10 Posted : 04 November 2019 10:29:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham

Just for the record:

a) under COSHH any substance may become a substance hazardous to health given certain conditions

b) the book 'Patch Testing' by Anton de Groot contains the definitive list of substances recognised by the dermatological profession as skin sensitisers. Among the 4,900 substances listed (most of which will not have been assigned H317) he lists olive oil. Certainly, it is not a common sensitiser, but where there is frequent, extended skin contact within a workplace I would at least have some form of skin health surveillance in place.

thanks 1 user thanked chris.packham for this useful post.
A Kurdziel on 04/11/2019(UTC)
Hsquared14  
#11 Posted : 04 November 2019 11:39:09(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

You should be looking at the task and not the materials.  What is the task, what is used, how is it used, what hazards do the materials present?  Looking at it from the point of view of one material = one COSHH assessment then you end up doing way more assessments than you need to do and it becomes really onerous task which you will find hard to complete and keep up to date.  I dentify your key tasks and any known hazardous materials - be careful of some food additives and spices which in pure / concentrated form / in bulk can have unexpected haazards - but don't fall into the trap of materials equating to assessments.

thanks 1 user thanked Hsquared14 for this useful post.
A Kurdziel on 04/11/2019(UTC)
toe  
#12 Posted : 06 November 2019 00:03:09(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
toe

Originally Posted by: hilary Go to Quoted Post

I would say no to the COSHH assessment, you only need to assess harmful products.  However, you do need a DSEAR assessment as flour is explosive.

COSHH, "substance hazardous to health” includes a dust of any kind. So definatly yes.

Users browsing this topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.