Supermarket bakery workers risk developing asthma

Supermarket bakery workers are at considerable risk of developing work-related asthma according to researchers from Imperial College and the Royal Brompton Hospital. Their study, reported in the latest edition of the European Respiratory Journal, found that up to nine percent of bakers, four percent of bakery managers and three percent of bakery assistants may have symptoms of asthma caused by working in supermarket bakeries.

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Supermarket bakery workers risk developing asthma

Regards,
Simon

Hi Simon

Interseting reading this, I would be interested to know if there have been any studies into the processing of bakery packaging in stores.

Has anyone tested the amount and effects of fumes given off when store staff seal PP Films instore ??

I have recieved several concerns regarding this issue.

Is there any evidence of this ???




Rob C

Hi Rob, I don't know of any research on this. To be honest I wouldn't have thought it was a major problem, after all when you seal the film you are simply melting the layer of heat seal lacquer on the underside of the PP film and hopefully not the film itself. I think that's right.

When you say you have received several concerns regarding this issue can you be a bit more specific.

Regards,
Simon

Hi Simon,
we have one "claim" ongoing, (no win - no fee) from a Store Assistant who has been working on the Bakery section for many years, she is claiming thet the "fumes" produced from sealing the BOPP and PP films has brought on chest problems

The supermarket chain were obviously concerned and conducted internal investigations across many of their stores, it seems that there is a perception that this has always been the case, a small amount of fumes are created, usually dealt with by extraction ?

Thats all I have at the moment, apart from the data sheets for the films, we have sent some of the film off for testing and are awaiting results !

I fear this won't go away , especially in the claim culture we all live in and am dreading the worst !!

The world is definitely going mad! I don't expect this processing of the material would have been covered by the scope of your HACCP plan? Quite rightly this would be more concerned with the safety of the material for direct food contact.

However, it does raise an interesting question - is it our responsibility or indeed possible to consider all of the ways our customers and customers customers etc. use our products?

Good luck Rob. I hope common sense prevails.

Regards,
Simon