FOOD-PROCESSING-INDUSTRY

FLOUR DUST EXPOSURE VARIABILITY IN FLOUR MILLS AND BAKERIES

A study was conducted on the exposure response relationship between flour dust exposure and occupational symptoms by comparisons between exposure groups and estimated various components of variability. The levels of total dust exposure were highest in the mixing and packing sites of the flour mills and in the packing, mixing, and dough brake areas of the bakeries. Within groupings, the within worker variation was larger than the between worker variation. The differences in total dust exposure between workers within the exposure groups were smaller than the differences between workers of the whole population. The largest variation was seen with the between group component, followed by the between day and between worker component and within worker component. The difference in total dust exposure between years was small. The authors suggest that additional research is needed to develop models using the various components to estimate the effect of the risk estimates.

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 39(3):299-305, 1995. (19 references)

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