Keeping cleaner warehouses
November 1st 2005

With the introduction of the HACCP regulations there is much greater emphasis on food safety and hygiene all the way through the supply chain In food and drink environments, it is essential that the highest standards of health and safety are maintained. To avoid the build up of dirt, bacteria and dust, it is important that meat and fish factories, bakeries, dairies and fruit and vegetable warehouses are thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis.

Liquid spills are commonplace in warehouses where food or drink is being processed and packed. Spillages are not only dangerous, but can also lead to permanent, unsightly stains. Traditional methods of removing spills, grease and stains, such as scrubbing and mopping, are time consuming and not entirely effective. A powered pedestrian scrubber drier is far faster and more efficient.

Scrubber driers work by applying water and detergent to the floor. Using a system of brushes, the floor is then scrubbed.

Scrubbers may have one, two or three brushes depending on the cleaning width requirement. The pressure applied by the brushes will be adjustable to cater for different cleaning tasks. Finally, a powerful suction squeegee device will collect the dirty water in a waste reservoir, to be emptied when the cleaning is finished. This leaves the floor clean and dry.

As well as removing visible signs of dirt, it is also important to minimise the risk of bacteria being transferred from equipment and surfaces to food. Loading bays are potential breeding grounds for germs and toxins. A high level of human and mechanical traffic means that crosscontamination is often unavoidable. To prevent the spread of bacteria, some trailers have cardboard placed on the floor of the vehicle, which is removed every time the trailer is unloaded and loaded for its next journey. This is not a foolproof system as cardboard itself can harbour germs.

For maximum hygiene, the trailers require regular scrubbing with a machine.

This must be carried out in a short space of time, especially with vehicles transporting food produce, such as those used by major supermarket chains. Some scrubber driers used for trailer cleaning purposes are capable of cleaning the inside of trailers in an impressive 11 minutes. A scrubber drier with a stainless steel chassis and scrubbing head is the most hygienic as it will not rust, meaning reduced bacteria - essential in high hygiene environments.

Forklift trucks, the constant flow of pallets being loaded and unloaded, and racking systems can all contribute to the build up of dust. Manual methods of removing dust are not only old-fashioned but also inefficient. Sweeping with a broom is about ten times slower than the smallest powered mechanical sweeper and can create more dust than it collects. A powered sweeping machine on the other hand will remove the dust and dirt in no time.

A cylindrised brush (the main brush) is rotated against the direction of travel of the machine. This lifts the dust and debris from the floor. The sweeper's internal system will then deposit the collected rubbish in a hopper. A side brush that extends from the sweeper, and sweeps dirt into the path of the machine's collecting system will effectively sweep under the racking structures.

Cleanliness in the food and drink industry is of paramount importance. For maximum hygiene in food preparation and storage areas, choose an efficient cleaning machine to reduce the risk of bacteria and achieve remarkably clean floors with the minimum amount of hassle.

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