Preparing for HSE Inspections of Bakeries and Mills

The HSE have announced they will be undertaking visits in the food and drink manufacturing industry during January to March 2018, with emphasis on bakeries, cake and biscuit manufacturers, and grain mills. One of the key areas of focus will be dust control. An integral part of any dust control regime are Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems.

So what can owners/users of LEV systems do in preparation for any visit?

• Ensure LEV systems are risk assessed and any requirements for thorough examination and test (TExT) have been identified to fulfil the requirements of CoSHH, with any air monitoring/health surveillance being carried out.
• Ensure any TExT has been completed by a competent person at the correct periodicity and is up to date, and any defects identified on the TExT have been remedied.
• Download a copy of HSE guidance document HSG258 Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work, and familiarise yourself with the requirements
• Review your LEV maintenance regime to ensure effective control is maintained at all times

For advice and assistance on the effective management of LEV systems, or any other statutory inspections, contact Safety Management.

Andrew Warburton