Voluntary covenent with flour producers fails to reduce exposures sufficiently

This paper reports the results of a 14 year voluntary covenant in Holland for the flour processing industry which produced disappointing results. The intervention involved information on risk to exposed workers, information on good work practices, a visit from a consultant and distribution of a specific dust control manual including a dust control plan which was completed at each work site. The aim was to reduce exposure to flour and amylase by 50%. The programme has run for 14 years. Reductions in air levels has been very modest (2%/year in flour and 8%/year for amylase in bakery workers, but an increase in >20%/year for general bakery workers). The use of LEV increased from negligable to around 40% for industrial bakeries and 60% for flour mills. Despite a plan to remove pressured air hoses for cleaning they remained in use to some extent. Use of liquid enzyme preparations increased from 30-50% of dough makers.
The authors conclude that a much more rigorous approach is needed to decrease the exposures

References

	Meijster T, Tielemans E, Heederik D, Effect of an intervention aimed at reducing the risk of allergic respiratory disease in bakers: change in flour dust and fungal alpha-amylase levels, Occup Environ Med, 2009;66:543-549,

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