How industrial cleaning helps make the workplace better and safer

As in any workstation, the industrial environment requires a certain degree of cleanliness and organization in order to function properly. While various industries and facilities face very different challenges in this area, they all require industrial cleaning; solutions that promote personnel safety and product quality, mainly through the extraction of smoke and dust.

Industrial cleaning involves much more than order and storage

The Japanese 5S system 

The 5S system can be considered a precursor to industrial cleaning with its five “S” representing respectively:

Seiri /remove the unnecessary, 

Seiton /place things, 

Seisō /(make) sparkle, 

Seiketsu /standardize rules 

Shitsuke /follow and progress. 

Developed by Toyota in the 1960s, 5S has become an international reference method for organizing the workplace, particularly in the production industry.

Although the order and neat organization are of course an integral part of the concept, the initial aim of professional industrial cleaning is to establish a system that reduces the amount of dust, particles, fumes, and other dangerous emissions within a certain facility. Exposure to these substances is often indirect and can harm many more people than just the operator of a certain machine. Take, for example, the welding industry were wearing protective clothing, helmets, and other equipment has long been the safety norm for most welders. More recent findings have revealed that the hazards associated with welding fumes affected a wider spectrum of people such as visitors and less protected colleagues. Implementing effective fume extraction solutions in welding equipment has reduced toxic fumes and improved air quality.

The problem of combustible dust is not uncommon, but is misunderstood

Something naturally disseminated different dust within many industrial facilities. Far from being all totally dangerous, they are neither healthy nor desired. Some dust is even combustible. Operators and other production personnel are becoming more aware of these concerns and identifying the most critical substances.In recent years, operators and other production personnel have become more aware of these issues and have identified the most critical substances.

In terms of how and to what extent proper industrial cleaning is implemented, countries and industries differ significantly in how much work remains to be done. The food and pharmaceutical industries are ‌leading this development, as good hygiene is essential to their production. As compared to a heavier, more ancient industry – such as a metallurgical plant – their milling machines can only be cleaned by compressed air, and the dust and oil from the machines are simply dispersed.

How does SCS Group Integrated Services deal with industrial cleaning?

The solutions we offer range from compact equipment such as small vacuum cleaners–usually part of the package of a machine delivered with its own cleaning equipment–​​to larger fixed systems with specific maintenance accessories. In terms of components, all our equipment includes at least one. Suction System, usually in the form of a fan or a pump connected to a filter. If necessary or desired, control and monitoring systems, pipes and additional industrial cleaning features (hoses, nozzles, valves, etc.) can also be integrated.

Part of our mission is to inform our customers and users of the potential health problems and dangers that can arise if the equipment is not used and maintained in a compliant manner, or if there is no working strategy guaranteeing the safety. of the work environment. If the installation and the machines are dirty and dusty, the quality of the products produced will probably also be affected. A clean and well-maintained work environment can also very well make a business more attractive to current and future customers and employees.

Although the need for some level of industrial cleaning is common to all of our customers, the details and requirements vary widely due to their uniqueness. We strive to provide a one-stop solution from equipment supply to sizing and installation, but this factor differs greatly from customer to customer.

The advantages of industrial cleaning are many and important to highlight

Managing today’s dust and waste is usually not that complicated. Convincing customers of the need for a reliable cleaning system, however, can seem like a challenge. While awareness of industrial cleaning and its benefits is certainly growing globally, it is a predominantly Western phenomenon. In many parts of the world, workplace cleaning is still typically done with a broom or dustpan, which means that the majority of the larger particles are actually collected but also that the smaller ones are often lifted into the dust. air during the process.

We improved the benefits we most aim to highlight when talking to operators and site managers worker health, safe working environment, and product quality and reduced risk of dust combustion, and reduced need for maintenance (‌reducing downtime). In addition, some of the waste collected by industrial cleanings–such as metal shavings or wood waste–can be reused or sold.

Increasing customer knowledge calls for safer and more efficient solutions

Industrial cleaning methods vary widely within different industries and nations. However, the general trend remains clear: Industrial cleaning becomes an increasingly common phenomenon, which is also linked to a general global development where industries and facilities are becoming safer and more sustainable. New technology combined with stricter regulations on emissions and workplace safety has therefore helped to make industrial cleaning more commonplace and more sophisticated. 

Awareness of combustible dust may also be growing. At SCS Group Integrated Services, we continue to receive requests for even more efficient filters capable of capturing even more and even smaller particles. Management and maintenance are also important factors, as we need to ensure that operators replacing filters or cleaning equipment can do so without exposing themselves to dust. Energy efficiency is also a theme frequently mentioned by our customers. New generations of factory workers and operators will often be savvier than their predecessors and likely to challenge old ways of working. 

Please contact us if you have any questions about industrial cleaning or how we can help you and your business. Please visit the SCS Group Integrated Services an industrial cleaning company in Melbourne Competence website to learn more. Contact us.