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Objective This paper highlights the occupational risk of Q fever from exposure to raw animal products in the context of multiple notified Q fever cases from 2020 to 2023 linked to four pet food manufacturing facilities in South-East Queensland, Australia. Methods The Queensland Government Notifiable Conditions System was used to identify Q fever cases linked to pet food manufacturing in the Metro North and Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service areas of Brisbane, Australia. Data on each case from routine public health follow-up were collected and descriptively analysed. Results Between 2020 and 2023, 12 confirmed Q fever infections (17% of total cases) were linked to four pet food manufacturing facilities. Eleven cases reported direct or environmental exposure to raw meat and animal products. None were previously vaccinated for Q fever. Conclusion These cases demonstrate the increased risk of Q fever infection as part of the pet food manufacturing process, highlighting an underappreciated preventable occupational risk, which can be mitigated with the use of pre-screening and vaccination of workers. All occupations should conduct workplace-based risk assessments to identify risks such as Q fever to prevent adverse negative health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to flour dust remains one of the leading causes of occupational asthma in Great Britain (GB). The average annual incidence rate per 100,000 bakers and flour confectioners in GB was 47.8 for the 3 yr period 2017 to 2019 compared with 0.53 for all occupations. There are many processes in commercial bakeries that can cause exposure to flour dust. Exposures are typically controlled by using local exhaust ventilation or respiratory protective equipment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential to reduce exposure to inhalable flour dust in commercial bakeries by modification of the process by use of a conical sieve in place of a round sieve; and substitution of traditional wheat flour (TWF) with 'low dust' flours LD1 and LD2 for dusting surfaces. Two simulated commercial bakery tasks were performed in a laboratory whilst dust exposures were measured in the breathing zone of the operator using an Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler, button sampler and a real-time direct reading monitor. Analysis of variance tests were used to assess whether differences in mean exposures were statistically significant with the different control approaches. A qualitative visual exposure assessment was also undertaken using Tyndall illumination. Substituting TWF with LD1 and LD2 reduced exposure to inhalable flour dust by 86% and 53% respectively when sieving and by 78% and 67% respectively when filling a hopper. There was no statistically significant difference between dust emissions for all 3 flours when using the conical sieve instead of the round sieve for flour dusting tasks. This laboratory study has shown that substituting TWF with low-dust flour may reduce inhalable dust exposures when dusting surfaces in bakeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors provide new methods for monitoring occupational exposure to hazardous substances, such as flour dust. These devices have many possible benefits, but much remains unknown about their performance for different exposure monitoring strategies in the workplace. We explored the performance of PM sensors for four different monitoring strategies (time-weighted average and high time resolution, each quantitative and semi-quantitative) for assessing occupational exposure using low-cost PM sensors in a field study in the industrial bakery sector. Measurements were collected using four types of sensor (PATS+, Isensit, Airbeam2, and Munisense) and two reference devices (respirable gravimetric samplers and an established time-resolved device) at two large-scale bakeries, spread over 11 participants and 6 measurement days. Average PM2.5 concentrations of the low-cost sensors were compared with gravimetric respirable concentrations for 8-h shift periods and 1-min PM2.5 concentrations of the low-cost sensors were compared with time-resolved PM2.5 data from the reference device (quantitative monitoring strategy). Low-cost sensors were also ranked in terms of exposure for 8-h shifts and for 15-min periods with a shift (semi-quantitative monitoring strategy). Environmental factors and methodological variables, which can affect sensor performance, were investigated. Semi-quantitative monitoring strategies only showed more accurate results compared with quantitative strategies when these were based on shift-average exposures. The main factors that influenced sensor performance were the type of placement (positioning the devices stationary versus personal) and the company or workstation where measurements were collected. Together, these findings provide an overview of common strengths and drawbacks of low-cost sensors and different ways these can be applied in the workplace. This can be used as a starting point for further investigations and the development of guidance documents and data analysis methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The definition of work-related Asthma (WRA) has changed in recent years and new etiologies and agents have been identified. The aim of this study is to describe the main causal agents of WRA in France in the period 2001–2018 in the main work sectors. Methods Data were collected from the French national network of occupational health surveillance and prevention [Réseau National de Vigilance et de Prévention des Pathologies Professionnelles (RNV3P)], Data between 2001 and 2018 with at least a probable or certain association with one occupational agent, were included. Results Work sectors with more cases OF WRA included personal service activities (10.6%), food industry (10.2%) and healthcare activities (7.6%). WRA cases were most frequently related to flour (10%), quaternary ammoniums compounds (5.3%), isocyanates (5.1%) and cleaning products (4.8%). Conclusion Occupational exposure to specific agents capable of causing WRA is still present, and four agents represent more than 25% of the cases. Actions to prevent respiratory exposure are still relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]