Don't be floored by safety
October 1st 2009

Cleaning warehouse floors can prevent health & safety issues. Simon Collins,of Industrial Floorcare Machines (UK), talks slips, trips and falls

Warehouses through their very nature are high risk locations.

High level racking systems, fork lift trucks moving back and forth, pallets of goods at ground level and at height, and areas where lighting fails to adequately penetrate create poor visibility.

It is therefore extremely important to ensure that suitable precautions are taken to maintain and enhance safety for all building users, and nowhere is this more important than by keeping floors clear of litter and free from dirt and spillages.

Slips, trips and falls remain the most common cause of workplace accidents, accounting for 39% of all major injuries over the last five years (HSE statistics).

"Recent surveys highlight the fact that while slips and trips remain a priority concern for employers, few felt that organisations are fully effective at controlling the slip and trip risk," says Barbara Evans of BeSafe, health and safety consultants.

Sweep away safety risks To help companies overcome some of the issues associated with cleaning floors in warehouses and other industrial buildings, there is a wide range of sweeping machines available from various manufacturers and suppliers to meet a variety of needs and budgets.

Where large warehousing facilities exist, the Comac CS100 battery or diesel powered ride-on sweeper comes into its own.

Designed to easily collect solid debris as well as light dust, the CS100 is at the 'top of the range' in terms of power, capacity, durability and heavy duty performance.

A debris hopper with a capacity of 400l allows the CS100 to cover an area of up to 16,200m2/hour.

Once a warehouse floor has been cleared of solid debris, litter and dust, it is essential that the floor is thoroughly cleaned to remove residual liquid spillages, especially those of a greasy or oily nature which could pose serious slip hazards.

The new Comac C100B is a scrubber dryer compact in size, suited to both maintenance and deep cleaning of medium to large sized areas.

Good coverage With a working width of 1,000mm and a solution tank of 200l, the C100B can cover an area up to 6,500m2 per hour.The machine has been designed to make the operator's job as comfortable as possible and to be extremely user friendly, even for unskilled staff.

The C100B has low noise levels as the suction motor is fitted inside a double wall tank made of insulating polyethylene.

Maintaining the appearance, safety and integrity of warehouse floors is essential to meet strict health & safety regulations, as well as ensuring that the working environment is both safe and productive for those working there.

By using high quality floor cleaning machines, designed to meet the demands of today's busy working environments, it is easier for a cleaning contractor or warehouse operator to meet those regulations.

For more information on the Comac range of sweepers and scrubber dryers Industrial Floorcare Machines (UK).

More articles from Industrial Floorcare Machines (UK):