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HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES


MALTEUROP TOASTS TO WORKER SAFETY


For the people involved in the production of beer and lager, their working


environment contains hazardous substances with high levels of dust and particles from the grains, up to 100% humidity levels, physically confined working conditions and aggressive cleaning chemicals.


Malteurop, a major producer of malted barley used in brewing, wanted to ensure its workforce was fully protected when undertaking the daily cleaning regime necessary to keep its malting floors and vats free of bacterial contaminants and blockages. Mélissa Chauvière, Production Manager, turned to DuPont Protection Solutions to provide PPE designed to get as close as possible to zero risk.


“THEY MUST


WEAR CHEMICAL PROTECTION


GLOVES AND AN OVERALL.”


Founded in 1984, the Malteurop group is one of the top players in the malting industry. In France, the group has four production sites located at the heart of the cereal region, including the largest Malteurop plant in the world at Vitry-le-François, which has an annual production capacity of 240,000 tonnes.


A CONTROLLED PRODUCTION PROCESS IN


THE SERVICE OF QUALITY The production of malt requires precision. When it reaches 10-12% humidity, the barley undergoes various stages of transformation before being stored and despatched to the brewers. Both upstream and throughout the production process, the barley and malt receive every possible care.


For Malteurop, the prevention of food safety risks throughout the malting process is of paramount importance


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to the production of a sound, healthy malt. It is a challenge that the company is meeting with good manufacturing practices and a complete cleaning process is undertaken every time unloading occurs to avoid any microbiological risk.


A CULTURE WHERE


SAFETY RULES To meet the necessary hygiene and food safety conditions, cleaning is a daily issue at Malteurop. Denis Ricart, the company’s Prevention Leader, explains: "On the malting floors and in the vats, there is always a temperature of between 18 and 24 degrees and the humidity level approaches 100%. These are ideal conditions for the development of bacteria, moulds and fungi.”


Véronique Coeffier, the QHSE Assistant, continues: "This is why, once a soaking vat or malting floor is empty, a cleaning team uses bleach to clean the room, beneath the malting floor and the grain conveyor systems, followed by rinsing with a high pressure jet before the installation is filled again. These operations are particularly essential for beneath the malting floor, to prevent the holes in the trays becoming blocked with barley grains since, without ventilation, the grain is asphyxiated".


At the Vitry-le-François malthouse, with its 12 malting floors and two soaking vats, these rigorous manual cleaning procedures are conscientiously performed once every day. The work is not inconsiderable given the size of the malting floors: it takes four to eight hours to clean each room, depending on how clogged up the vat is. Workers are exposed to the hazards related to the use of diluted bleach, with a high risk of projection during the high


pressure rinsing process and are also subject to many posture-related constraints in the confined spaces. They must wear chemical protection gloves and an overall, on top of which they don a helmet and a harness with a ventilation belt.


PERSONAL SAFETY To achieve the best possible match with the protection requirements of the production staff, DuPont Personal Protection went on site at Vitry-le- François to gain precise knowledge of the chemical products used and to observe the real conditions in which the overalls are used. Mélissa Chauvière, Production Manager at Malteurop, specified: "We want an item of clothing that is easy to put on and is sufficiently tear-resistant in the event of snagging; but the correct use of the overall also needs to be easily understood by the staff".


After several working meetings, DuPont Protection Solutions recommended the Tychem® 4000 S overall. This category III overall is particularly suited to applications that require optimum protection against chemical substances without hampering the movements of the wearer, who may be required to work in a confined space. Great care has been taken to perfect the shape and fit of the garment, particularly when moving. Worker safety is also enhanced by the white colour of Tychem® 4000 S garments, which provides contrast across a wide range of natural backgrounds to make the wearer more visible, even in poor light.


The recommended overalls were tested by Malteurop staff working in various cleaning areas. Following the trials, the Tychem® 4000 S overall was unanimously welcomed. Jamel


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