Case Studies » Warburtons
The challenge
At the request of management a DSEAR survey at the Warburton site, Enfield was completed. The site has various processes but this DSEAR assessment was focussed upon a newly installed crumpet making process; being operated on a 24 hour shift pattern.
This process involves handling and use of dry, fine powders which inevitably will generate dust particles during the transfer process. There is an inherent flammable hazard associated with flour and other dry ingredients such as premix that could under certain criteria lead to the formation of an explosive mixture in air. This has the potential to occur both inside and outside of processing equipment.
The Solution provided
Food ingredients were the focus of this survey and the crumpet making operation uses materials that are deemed as hazardous because some of the ingredients used are designated as flammable. A key component used is flour dust which is inert until it is allowed to spread and mix with air.
The survey focused where the hazardous ingredients were being used, stored and importantly if they were being released in an uncontrolled manner. Given the nature of the operations and the reputation of the company many of the controls that would be expected to be in place were. However having a new set of eyes is always a useful exercise and some potential problems were found and recommendations issued in a detailed report.
