Bakeries and Bakery Equipment

What are the hazards associated with bakery equipment?

Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, amputations, burns, or blindness. Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from these preventable injuries. Any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded. When the operation of a machine or accidental contact injure the operator or others in the vicinity, the hazards must be eliminated or controlled. 

Failure to implement and observe lockout/tagout procedures can result in serious bodily injury (e.g., amputation, electrical burns) and death as a result of the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy.

Failure of the employer to inform employees about the hazards of chemicals in the workplace can result in property damage, serious physical harm and death.

Combustible dusts when suspended in air in sufficient concentration can result in a fire or explosion when ignited by an ignition source, such as a flame or electric arc, resulting in extensive property damage and serious human injury and death.

Depending upon the type of materials and the means used to move them, the hazards associated with materials handling and storage can result in serious injury or death due to employees being struck by or caught between materials or the material handling equipment, as well as musculoskeletal injuries due to repetitive movement or improper techniques used when lifting and moving materials.

Slips, trips and falls are a common hazard within bakeries. Maintaining good housekeeping practices helps minimize injuries due to falls.

What can I do to protect myself?

Employees who are authorized to service and perform maintenance on equipment should always ensure that the equipment has been locked out or tagged out in accordance with established procedures before beginning work. 

When working in or walking through areas where powered industrial trucks are being used, especially forklifts, be mindful of traffic patterns and do not cross immediately in front of a moving forklift. Do not pass under the raised portion of a forklift, regardless of the presence or absence of a load.

Do not operate material handling equipment such as forklifts or cranes unless you have been trained in the use of that equipment. If you observe another employee operating material handling equipment in an unsafe manner, report it to your employer immediately.

Before using any chemical, information on the label and accompanying information (e.g., safety data sheets) should be consulted in order to identify any personal protective equipment necessary to prevent direct contact through inhalation, splash or spatter to eyes, nose or mouth, or skin contact.

Maintain good housekeeping practices such as cleaning up spills immediately, putting items away when not using them and repair flooring that has come loose.  

Your employer is required to conduct a workplace hazard assessment, a part of which should include the identification of processes and materials that are capable of producing combustible dust. In addition, the employer is also responsible to inform employees about the physical hazards, as well as the health hazards, associated with any materials used in the workplace.

What resources are available to assist employers?

Safety and Health Programs

The electrical safety-related work practices policy, lockout/tagout program, forklift inspection program and hazard communication can be downloaded and customized to fit the individual workplace. An example PPE hazard assessment is available and can be customized to fit workplace conditions. Employers are required to perform a workplace hazard analysis to determine what personal protective equipment is necessary to protect employees from continued exposure to identified hazards. Other example safety and health programs are available for employers to download and adapt to their specific conditions.

Training and Outreach Services

The lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment, electrical safety, hazard communication, powered industrial trucks, materials handling for general industry and machine guarding presentations are available to assist employers in training their staff. Other example presentations are available along with pre-recorded webinars which can be accessed at any time. 

In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. 

Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including streaming video services) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC).

Safety and Health Topics

Other related resources can be found on safety and health topic pages for lockout/tagout, electrical safety, machine guarding, hazard communication, powered industrial trucks, materials handling and storage, combustible dust and personal protective equipment for more information.

Consultation Services

The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.

Which standards apply?

OSH has adopted the following standards for bakeries and bakery equipment in North Carolina. This is not all inclusive.

Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic.

General Industry

• 29 CFR 1910.263 - bakery equipment

Other Related General Industry Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.22 - walking - working surfaces, general requirements
• 29 CFR 1910.37 - maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes
• 29 CFR 1910.132 - personal protective equipment, general requirements
• 29 CFR 1910.141 – sanitation
• 29 CFR 1910.147 - the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)
• 29 CFR 1910.176 - handling materials - general
• 29 CFR 1910.178 - powered industrial trucks
• 29 CFR 1910.212 - machinery and machine guarding, general requirements
• 29 CFR 1910.332 - electrical, training
• 29 CFR 1910.333 - electrical, selection and use of work practices
• 29 CFR 1910.334 - electrical, use of equipment
• 29 CFR 1910.335 - electrical, safeguards for personnel protection
• 29 CFR 1910.1200 - hazard communication

Recordkeeping

• Refer to Recording and Reporting

Other Applicable Standards

The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can help identify other standards that may also be applicable to your worksite.

Where can I learn more?

Industry Guides

• Industry Guide 49 - OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training, provides requirements for standards related to bakeries and bakery equipment in general industry.

Compliance Documents

• Operational Procedure Notice: OPN 149 - Special Emphasis Program for Amputations establishes the OSH Division's enforcement policy for safety and health inspections where employees may be exposed to amputation hazards on machinery due to lack of guarding and/or failure to utilize energy control procedures.
• Compliance Directive: CPL 03-00-008 establishes enforcement policy regarding combustible dust and identifies applicable standards and laws and an explanation of the application of these to ensure uniform enforcement.

Technical Assistance

• Inquiries about workplace safety and health requirements can be submitted to Ask OSH online or by phone at 919-707-7876.