Food Manufacturer Penalised Following HSE Dust Inspections

A prominent food manufacturing company has been hit with a £120,000 fine following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that uncovered severe breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. The prosecution highlights ongoing regulatory concerns regarding occupational respiratory hazards within the UK food and baking sectors.

Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court was told that inspections carried out at a Puratos Limited facility in Buckingham revealed significant worker exposure to hazardous airborne dusts, including flour. The site visit, conducted on 3 December 2024, exposed dangerous working practices that directly contributed to the inhalation risks faced by employees on the production line.

COSHH Breaches and Hazardous Dust Concentrations

During the initial inspection, HSE officials identified multiple systemic failures in dust containment and control. Unsafe practices observed included:

  • Dust actively escaping from industrial machinery due to unsealed leaks.
  • The prohibited use of compressed airlines to blow down accumulated dust deposits.
  • Dry sweeping using traditional brushes and brooms, which aerates settled particulate matter.
  • The manual handling of heavy 25kg ingredient sacks on a daily basis, increasing musculoskeletal strain.

Subsequent workplace air monitoring reports confirmed that employees were routinely exposed to inhalable dust concentrations well above the Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) established by the regulator. Inspectors noted that the site had received prior enforcement attention in 2021 regarding similar dust exposure and manual handling shortcomings, demonstrating a failure to learn from past regulatory interventions. Puratos Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, resulting in the £120,000 fine alongside £6,270 in legal costs.

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Wider Industry Implications and Regulatory Focus

The case forms part of a broader, intensified inspection initiative by the HSE targeting large bakeries and food production facilities across Great Britain. Occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by exposure to organic dusts such as flour, grain, and improvers remain major health challenges in the manufacturing sector. Regulators have repeatedly stressed that administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be relied upon after engineering controls—such as local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and enclosed automated handling—have been fully exhausted.

Employers are reminded that comprehensive risk assessments under COSHH must be actively reviewed, and workforce training must reinforce safe cleaning methodologies that avoid dry sweeping or compressed air. To ensure compliance and safeguard employees against preventable occupational health conditions, organisations can access accredited training programs and advisory resources through Abertay Training at https://www.abertaytraining.co.uk.