I wonder if anybody can help me with this? We have received an enquiry from a customer to fill biological washing powder into sachets. The MSDS doesn’t ring any alarm bells with me but we have an employee who has previously worked at a company that filled biological washing powder in to sachets and did it in a very controlled environment with forced air extraction, full PPE and dust monitoring because, he thinks, of the risks associated with exposure to the enzymes present in the product. Could anyone shed any light on this for me? I would, of course, be taking normal precautions to minimize dust levels and exposure but if there is a particular risk associated with this product type we may just decline the work.

There is also strong anecdotal evidence that the constituents are skin sensitizers causing very distressing wheals and swellings on subsequent exposure, to both external skin and upper airways. This is from the consumer base so in an occupational exposure context I suggest that the problem would be magnified.