HSE Investigation Uncovers Systemic Dust and Handling Failures

A prominent food manufacturing company has been heavily penalised following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation that exposed serious lapses in the management of hazardous substances. Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court heard that employees at Puratos Limited in Buckingham were routinely placed at risk of developing severe, long-term health conditions, including occupational asthma, due to inadequate control of airborne dust within the facility.

The enforcement action stems from a targeted inspection carried out on 3 December 2024, which revealed a series of alarming safety breaches. Inspectors discovered that flour and other inhalable dusts were escaping freely from compromised machinery due to active leaks. Furthermore, standard operating procedures on-site included unsafe cleaning methods, such as dry sweeping with brooms and using compressed air lines to clear dust deposits—practices that actively launch fine particulate matter into the breathing zone of workers.

Subsequent workplace monitoring conducted on 18 December 2024 confirmed that inhalable dust concentrations across the factory floor significantly exceeded the workplace exposure limits established by the HSE. In addition to respiratory hazards, investigators identified chronic manual handling risks, noting that staff were forced to routinely lift heavy 25kg ingredient sacks manually without adequate mechanical assistance or ergonomic safeguards.

Legal Consequences and Regulatory Precedent

Appearing before the court, Puratos Limited entered a guilty plea for breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The presiding magistrates issued a substantial fine of £120,000 alongside an order to pay £6,270 in full prosecution costs. Crucially, the site had a history of non-compliance, having faced previous HSE intervention regarding dust exposure and material handling hazards during a prior inspection in 2021.

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Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Emma Page underscored the gravity of the offences, noting that bakeries and food production facilities across Great Britain continue to report unacceptable rates of illness linked to dusty ingredients. The prosecution forms part of a broader, ongoing initiative by the regulator targeting large-scale bakeries to ensure compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.

Key Lessons for Food and Manufacturing Sectors

The ruling serves as a stark reminder to employers across the food and catering sector that statutory compliance cannot be treated as an administrative tick-box exercise. Under COSHH guidelines, duty holders are legally obligated to prevent or adequately control exposure to substances that can cause occupational lung diseases and skin conditions. Key preventive measures mandated by the HSE include:

  • Engineering Controls: Implementing localized exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems and enclosing machinery to stop dust leaks at the source.
  • Prohibition of Unsafe Cleaning: Banning the use of brushes, brooms, and compressed air lines for cleaning down dust, substituting them with industrial vacuum systems or damp-wiping techniques.
  • Ergonomic Assessments: Eliminating or minimizing manual handling operations involving heavy loads through automated lifting equipment.
  • Robust Health Surveillance: Establishing routine medical checks for staff handling sensitising agents like flour dust to catch early indicators of occupational asthma or dermatitis.

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