Grain Dust

Risk Assessment

Health and safety regulations require employers to carry out an assessment of the risks to the health from hazardous substances present in the workplace. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment is required wherever exposure to grain dust is likely to occur.

Where there are five or more employees a written copy of the risk assessment should be provided and employees should always be informed of any significant findings from the assessment process.

Understanding when employees and others may be exposed to grain dust is important when conducting a risk assessment. All potential sources of exposure should be identified as well as who is likely to be exposed, and for how long.

In workplaces, the following circumstances may lead to unnecessary exposure to grain dust:

• harvesting grain and transferring grain from combines into trailers
• cleaning, dressing and drying grain
• moving grain about in a grain store
• transferring grain in or out of grain stores or terminals
• milling and mixing dry grain
• feeding dry milled grain
• maintenance of plant and equipment
• cleaning of buildings, vehicles, plant and equipment using compressed air or by manual/mechanical sweeping
• silo cleaning

An example risk assessment for a feedmill shows the kind of approach a small business might take when considering grain dust as an occupational health hazard.

This template should be used only as a guide to completing a risk assessment. As every business is different, employers should carefully think through the hazards and controls unique to their work activity.

Further information on how to conduct a risk assessment is available within the HSE publication A step by step guide to COSHH assessment.