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Wipes
The industrial cleaning revolution
Developments in workplace organisation and control have changed the face of
cleaning and wiping in industry. Mark Riley of Tork wiper manufacturer SCA looks at
how industrial wipers are changing to suit today’s needs
T
here was a time when rags were considered to be the answer they arrive at the premises clean and ready for use and can be
to most industrial cleaning issues. But the workshop has disposed of afterwards instead of cluttering up the workplace.
changed dramatically over the past 50 years – and workplace They also make the best use of the available space, for example, we
cleaning has changed with it. Rags were the universal industrial wiper believe one typical pack of Tork clean-cut industrial wipers is equal to
choice in the 1950s and 1960s when they were used for everything the equivalent of 10kg of mixed rags. And the fact that these packs of
from wiping down machinery to cleaning hands. They were made wipers can be wall-mounted at strategic places around the workshop
from old cotton clothes and delivered in mixed bags to industrial means that they are always to hand when required and productivity
units where they were used, reused and eventually discarded. But benefits as a result.
over the years disposable wipers have Some companies use laundered cloths for
begun to replace rags – while also wiping tasks – textiles that are taken away
becoming much more integral to the by the supplier and cleaned before being
manufacturing process. Behind this returned for re-use. However, these can have
switch have been a number of a detrimental effect on workflow because
important industry trends such as an the management of a laundered cloth
increased emphasis on hygiene, health system can be time-consuming.
and safety as well as a drive towards For example, an inventory needs to be
increased efficiency and a keenness to carried out manually when the cloths arrive
improve waste management. and when they are taken away again. It may
be that 100 cloths are counted into the
Waste not want not workplace but only 90 can be accounted for
The move towards improved waste after use, perhaps because they have been
management is a recent initiative, and thrown away by mistake or inadvertently
impregnated wipers can help in this taken home in an employee’s pocket. The
area. A wiper that has been pre-soaked remaining 10 cloths will have to be found
with the precise amount of cleaning and returned or paid for by the
solution required will control detergent management. Tracking down the missing,
use and reduce levels of waste. soiled cloths is an ineffective use of
Modern Best Practice systems have employees’ time while also being a poor fit
also helped to change the face of with the 5S model.
industry by streamlining working
processes and increasing efficiency. X factor
Today’s disposable wipers fit well with One very important factor to have
systems such as the Japanese ‘5S’ determined the development of wipers
methodology, one of the most over the years has been that of price,
commonly-used business models of the particularly in today’s recession. Industrial
last 20 years. buyers are constantly seeking the lowest-
The 5S model refers to a method of cost wiper for the task in hand. However, it is
organising shared work environments not the simple question of price that is
to improve morale, safety and driving the wiper market today, but the
efficiency. The methodology uses five more complex issue of cost in use. Wipers
Japanese words which, when translated have to provide the best quality at the best
into English, all begin with the letter S. price, and they also have to be suitable for
These words are: the task in hand. For instance, process-
• Sorting, or removing all but the most essential items from the critical applications such as cleaning oily components or polishing
workplace. surfaces need wipers that have been expressly made for this purpose.
• Straightening, in other words, arranging tools and equipment in a Wipers are no longer the ‘optional extras’ in the industrial
way to promote the most efficient workflow. workshop that are carelessly picked up to wipe away the odd splash
• Shining, or keeping the workplace clean and uncluttered. of oil and grease and then casually discarded. The fact that wipers
• Standardising all work practices to keep them consistent. have an important contribution to make in improving health, safety,
• Sustaining these procedures on a day-to-day basis. cleanliness and efficiency means that they have become integral to
As more UK firms adopt this Japanese approach, wiping solutions the smooth running of a manufacturing site. And with increasing
such as rags and laundered cloths become increasingly technology and investment in disposable wipers, SCA believes wipers
inappropriate. Soiled rags have no place in a clean, professional 5S are likely to become an even more
42562 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
environment. Instead, disposable wipers are often preferred because indispensable asset in the future. Tel: 01582 677400
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