Bakers exposure to flour dust: a exploratory study in a Portuguese bakery

Flour dust is a hazardous substance; it is a respiratory sensitizer and cause allergic rhinities and occupational asthma among bakers. An exploratory study was developed in a Portuguese bakery aiming to recognize and assess workers exposure to particles and fungi and to understand the variables that influence exposure. Particles measurements were done during tasks performance. Fungal burden was characterized through air and surface samples and by macro and microscopic observations. In general, 0.3 pm particles have higher counts and 10.0 pm particles obtained the lowest counts, being near the kneading machines the task with higher number of the smallest particles. Regarding fingi, all the indoor sampling presented higher load than the limits imposed by the World Health Organization. Results point out for the need to apply preventive and control measures and for the importance to consider a co-exposure to several risk factors in this occupational setting.