OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE FLOUR DUST ACROSS INDUSTRIAL MILLING WORKSTATIONS
Sinopse
Occupational exposure to flour dust is associated with respiratory diseases such as occupational asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and exposure levels in bakeries and milling industries frequently exceed recommended occupational exposure limits. Objective: This study evaluated occupational exposure to flour dust in an industrial milling facility in northern Portugal, identifying highrisk workstations, determine the effective dust concentration and proposing preventive measures. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three high-exposure workstations (bakery, mix–weighing, and mix–bagging). Personal air sampling was performed on different days and time periods following NP EN 689 principles. Total and respirable dust were collected using NIOSH Methods 0500 and 0600. Results: All workstations exceeded the occupational exposure limit (0.5 mg/m³). The highest total dust exposure occurred in the mix–weighing sector (mean 19.18 mg/m³; 10.37–27.56 mg/m³), followed by the bakery (mean 4.69 mg/m³; 0.55–12.55 mg/m³) and mix–bagging (mean 0.84 mg/m³; 0.32–1.17 mg/m³). Worst-case modelling showed that FFP1 masks did not ensure safe exposure levels, FFP2 masks provided partial protection, and only FFP3 masks consistently reduced effective concentrations below the exposure limit. Conclusions: Flour dust exposure remains significantly above recommended limits, highlighting the need for regular monitoring, engineering controls, and appropriate respiratory protection.
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Este trabalho encontra-se publicado com a Licença Internacional Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0.
