Best Practices for Cleaning Manufacturing Facilities
Some manufacturing facilities leave you wondering how work gets done, especially where there are standards to meet. You may find dust particles and debris contaminating delicate electronics, while something as simple as a spill can lead to dangerous accidents. Not to mention greasy machinery that can stop in a split second.
In such a condition, the safety and quality of the work environment are threatened. Workers would struggle to feel safe or motivated. In addition, the facility will face regulatory compliance issues because it must operate according to local guidelines. Thankfully, there are best practices for keeping manufacturing facilities clean and functioning efficiently.
This article explores some significant practices that manufacturing cleaning services perform. Continue reading to discover what you need to do to keep your facility clean and hygienic at all times!
Understand the Needs of Your Facility
Before any cleaning gets done, it's essential to learn and understand the unique needs of your facility. Generally, manufacturing facilities require custom cleaning solutions, and depending on the type of facility you operate, each one has a set of requirements to follow. For example, a food and beverage manufacturing facility must strive to avoid allergens, while other facilities may be prone to dust and debris.
Whatever the industry, the best practice is tailoring your cleaning approach to the specific environment. Professional cleaning services understand this, so they come with proper cleaning agents, techniques, or schedules that are best suited to the products you manufacture.
Compliance with Health and Safety Standards
The manufacturing industry records some of the world's highest work-related accidents and injuries, and, in some cases, even higher than the construction sector. This means that health and safety standards are important considerations in the industry, but many facilities still get it wrong because they're not compliant.
Work with a proven manufacturing cleaning service to cover the rules and be compliant. Ensure that your facility adheres to health and safety guidelines, including proper cleaning procedures, storage, and waste disposal. Since compliance is a regular process, the team you hire helps you meet the constantly changing requirements in your industry.
Applying Specialized Equipment and Products
The size of the manufacturing facility often determines the scale and type of industrial-grade cleaning equipment to handle machinery, expansive floors, and specialised surfaces effectively. This often includes heavy-duty floor scrubbers, pressure washers, or even specialized equipment for hard-to-reach areas.
The right equipment often makes the difference, as cleaning becomes more efficient and thorough, saving time and improving results. One best practice here is not to just apply cleaning products but to use the one that's safest for your workers and the environment. Many facilities are adopting environment-friendly or eco-friendly cleaning products, which are mostly just as effective as traditional cleaners but present fewer risks for the environment.
Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Manufacturing cleaning is a serious business, and workers from cleaning services can be at risk handling hazardous materials, dealing with complex machinery, or working in a challenging environment. For these reasons, PPE is a vital addition to their equipment. Wearing PPE items like gloves, goggles, masks, and others aren't optional considerations. They are best practices and essential tools of the business.
Ensure the company you hire has staff trained in applying PPE to keep their staff safe and protected from harmful incidents across different manufacturing systems. They must know about site-specific protocols on how to deal with sensitive equipment and the potential risks in different areas of the facility.
Green and Clean Measures
Sustainability is essential, and your business depends on it. Going green with several practices leads to a healthier workplace for your employees and clients. It also enhances your manufacturing facility's reputation as an eco-friendly business. However, you're not just doing it for the tag but for the longevity of your facility.
A manufacturing cleaning service can help you achieve a green and clean status through low-energy cleaning machinery, non-toxic cleaning agents, and technologies like electrolyzed water cleaning systems, which create effective cleaning solutions solely from water, salt, and electricity.
Conclusion
Keeping a manufacturing facility clean is a challenging task. You must understand your unique needs while giving priority to health and safety, using the right tools and products, and protecting your workers. However, the advantages are worth it because a clean manufacturing facility is a safer, more efficient, and more productive one. It’s a place where workers feel valued, where quality products are made, and where success is built from the ground up.
