Flour Handling SWMS

Flour handling generates inhalable dust during bag opening, weighing, tipping, mixing, and equipment cleaning operations. The incoming WEL of 0.5 mg/m³ represents an 87.5 per cent reduction from the current standard and will require most food processing facilities to upgrade their dust controls. Flour dust is a respiratory sensitiser that causes baker's asthma in approximately 10 per cent of chronically exposed workers. It is also combustible, creating explosion risk when fine dust accumulates in enclosed spaces. This template maps controls to the binding Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice effective 1 July 2026 under Section 26A.

Legal Requirements

regulation

WHS Regulation 2025 Part 7.1 — Hazardous Chemicals

hrcw category

Work with respiratory sensitisers and combustible dust

code of practice

Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace (binding 1 July 2026 under Section 26A)

section 26a binding

Yes — effective 1 July 2026. Non-compliance is admissible as evidence of breach.

Hazards

Hazard	Consequence	Likelihood
Flour dust inhalation causing respiratory sensitisation	Baker's asthma, occupational rhinitis, chronic lung disease	Almost Certain
Combustible flour dust accumulation reaching explosive concentration	Dust explosion, fatalities, facility destruction	Unlikely
Manual handling of 25 kg flour bags	Back injuries, shoulder injuries, muscle strains	Likely
Slip and fall on flour-dusted floors	Fractures, head injuries, sprains	Likely
Eye irritation from flour dust exposure	Conjunctivitis, corneal abrasion	Likely
Skin irritation from prolonged flour contact	Contact dermatitis	Possible

Controls (Hierarchy of Controls)

Install enclosed flour transfer systems with dust extraction to minimise airborne dust during tipping and weighing

Use bulk flour delivery with pneumatic transfer to eliminate manual bag handling where volume justifies

Provide local exhaust ventilation at bag opening stations, weighing areas, and mixer charging points

Fit-test P2 respirators for all workers handling flour until engineering controls are verified to achieve WEL compliance

Implement a flour dust monitoring program with personal sampling during high-dust tasks

Establish a cleaning schedule using HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaners — never use compressed air to clean flour dust

Maintain housekeeping standards that prevent flour dust accumulation on surfaces, ledges, and equipment

Provide health surveillance including spirometry for all workers with regular flour dust exposure

Recent Prosecutions

Hilltop Meats Pty Ltd$750,000

Worker killed in auger entrapment where machine guarding was inadequate and isolation procedures were not followed in food processing facility.

2025 — SafeWork NSW v Hilltop Meats Pty Ltd [2025]

B&E Foods Pty Ltd$375,000

Worker suffered severe injuries from an unguarded food processing machine during cleaning operations.

2023 — SafeWork NSW v B&E Foods Pty Ltd [2023]

What Your SWMS Must Include

✓Flour dust exposure monitoring plan with personal sampling during bag tipping and mixer charging

✓Dust extraction specifications for each flour handling station

✓Combustible dust housekeeping standards and cleaning schedule

✓Health surveillance program including spirometry for flour-exposed workers

✓RPE selection and fit-testing schedule for flour handling personnel

Need a compliant Flour Handling SWMS?

Our WHS consultants build task-specific SWMS that address the incoming flour dust WEL and protect your workers from baker's asthma.