FEATURE
A CLEAN RECORD
The importance of cleanliness in industrial settings is critical, especially when it comes to health, safety and compliance. MEWA UK Country Manager, Günes Yenen looks at how something as simple as your choice of industrial cleaning wipes can help make a difference.
Industrial workplaces are greasy environments with oils, hydraulic fluids, solvents and many other liquids always used, meaning cleaning up leaks, drips and spills is a regular occurrence. Keeping such areas clean and oil free can be a challenge, but necessary to ensure health and safety and compliance.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) states that slips
and trips are the most common cause of injury at work, causing, on average, more than a third of all major injuries. Another significant source of ill health in industrial settings can arise from exposure to hazardous liquids, such as solvent and oils, which can cause skin disorders and respiratory ill health issues, so unnecessary contact must be avoided.
Employers are required to ensure the health and safety of all employees as mandated by the Health and Safety at Work Act. Companies must assess any potential risks to the health and safety of employees and others and take appropriate action to put effective control measures in place.
Companies which fail to do so could face significant reputational and commercial risks. The HSE is responsible for regulatory enforcement that can see substantial fines levied on companies and their directors, and in extreme cases, prison.
Measures required under the Act include taking steps to control slip and trip risks as well as exposure to hazardous materials. Recommendations include cleaning up spills promptly and keeping absorbent materials to hand where there is a risk of a spillage. However, this can potentially generate additional challenges.
Industrial workplaces typically use blue paper roll or single-use rags to absorb and mop up spills and clean tools and machine parts. However, any blue roll or rags which are used to mop up spills and leaks involving, for example oil and solvents potentially become classed as hazardous waste which then requires suitable management and disposal.
To ensure compliance with legal regulations, businesses producing hazardous waste in the UK ‒ including
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contaminated wipes ‒ have a specific ‘duty of care’ concerning that waste and must classify, separate and store any waste safely before having it disposed of by an authorised hazardous wastes contractor.
STORING CONTAMINATED WIPES Contaminated wipes may emit volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) or pose a fire risk. To minimise risk to worker health and safety, they should be stored in a tightly closable container made of resistant material such as metal or special plastic (high-molecular, low- pressure polyethylene) before being disposed of.
There are also issues with laundering contaminated wipes. They must never be put straight into a washing machine; fumes may escape and potentially cause a fire, particularly as the washing machine’s motor heats up.
SAFER SOLUTIONS With companies under pressure to ensure high
standards of health and safety practice, an alternative strategy to disposable paper towels and single-use rags is emerging in the UK.
Today, full-service contract third-party suppliers are delivering high-quality reusable absorbent industrial wipes to customers, along with robust storage containers that keep contaminated wipes secure until collection. Because the wipes are delivered on a pre- agreed rotation, they are always to hand, so spills may be rapidly addressed to reduce the risks of exposure to chemicals and slipping causing injury. The reusable service system also removes the significant burden of hazardous waste disposal from the company, reducing overall costs as well as mitigating potential health and safety fines.
Even small changes to a typical maintenance regime in plant and manufacturing facilities can yield considerable benefits helping protect employee health and wellbeing, and aiding regulation compliance.
www.mewa.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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