The Brussels-based firm, which maintains a significant presence in the UK market, was prosecuted after a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspection identified unsafe practices.
As a result, employees were at risk of developing occupational asthma at the company’s Buckingham facility.
During their visit on 3 December 2024, inspectors found that dust was escaping from machinery due to leaks, that compressed air lines were being used to blow down dust deposits, and that dry sweeping was being carried out using brushes and brooms.
A workplace dust monitoring report dated 18 December 2024 confirmed that employees were exposed to inhalable dust concentrations above the workplace exposure limits set by the HSE.
Puratos’ prosecution follows a series of inspections at large bakery sites across the UK, during which inspectors checked that employers were properly protecting workers from the dangers of dusty ingredients.
The investigation also found that workers were required to manually lift 25kg sacks of ingredients on a daily basis.
The HSE noted that repeated manual handling of heavy loads can lead to musculoskeletal injuries and should be avoided where reasonably practicable.
Puratos’ Buckingham facility had previously been inspected in 2021, when enforcement action was also taken over employees’ dust exposure and manual handling risks.
As a result of the latest inspection, Puratos Limited, of Buckingham, was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,270 at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court on 17 July 2026, after pleading guilty.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Emma Page said: “Too many workers in bakeries are suffering from unnecessary exposure to dusty ingredients, including flour. When employers prevent exposure, the risk of occupational asthma is removed.
“In the food and drink industries, around one-third of reportable injuries are acute injuries caused by handling and lifting. Employers must ensure they are properly protecting workers from the dangers of dusty ingredients and the manual handling of heavy materials.”
