Is your factory at risk of accidents?
Why is it useful to dust overhead structures in the factory? Dust is produced by ambient air, workers entering and exiting the factory, garage doors opening and closing for deliveries, and, of course, production. The woodworking industry generates the most dust, and the risk is greater in this type of factory. But the food, paper, and metal industries are also affected. The food industry must also ensure that particles do not come into contact with food.
What does it take to cause a dust explosion?
- Dust suspended in the air (the fuel)
- Ambient air (the oxidant)
- A spark or static electricity (ignition source)
Here is a CSST article concerning explosion accidents in factories
So, as you can see, many factories need to reduce risks. Dust can also cause health problems for workers. One way to prevent these problems is to dust-remove overhead structures, and in some cases, to remove dust. And washing of high structures and other surfaces.
Dusting of overhead structures in manufacturing plants
The preparation
First, it will often be necessary to make a action plan. For factories that are even slightly larger, it will be impossible to complete the entire area in one day or even one week. So, we will demarcate the factory by section. To ensure that everything has been done, it is best to establish a form that the team leader fills out with the work done. The team leader will then have the factory plan with its sections, as well as a work order for each of them.
The frequency will need to be determined for each section. It is common to see sections of the plant that require more attention because they generate more dirt, dust, or risk than other sections.
There will then need to be collaboration between the factory and the work team to determine the schedule for each section. Of course, there should be no production in the rooms during cleaning.
We delimit the area to be cleaned
We mark off the area to be safer for both ground workers and cleaners. Accidents with lifting equipment are rare when employees have been properly trained, but they do happen. Therefore, marking off the area indicates that work is taking place in this area and that entry is prohibited except for authorized workers.
We clear the ground surface
For safety reasons, no production can take place below the cleaned surface. Manufacturing plants are generally located at heights to maximize production space. Therefore, to clean above production equipment, it will very often be necessary to use washing equipment. Employees using this type of equipment must have a license to operate it. Therefore, it is important to be well prepared for this type of work.
Food factories will also require your employees to have a minimum level of training to work in their factory, as well as experience in this type of work. Here is a complementary article concerning THE effective food washing.
We cover production equipment
We'll cover all production equipment to ensure nothing is contaminated. We'll also use tape to ensure the canvases don't move. We'll also be careful to do the same for electrical outlets.
The Organization of Work
For this type of work, I always suggest that there is a team leader who ensures that health and safety regulations are followed. For example, that the wearing PPE be respected. In addition, with experience, the team leader will quickly be able toidentify, correct and control injury risks.
The team leader has an overview of the work to be done. He is well aware of his team's strengths and weaknesses. And he is responsible for ensuring that the work is carried out properly. He therefore makes the rounds of the employees to ensure that everything is going well, that his teammates are not missing anything, and that they are working safely. At the end of each room's work, the team leader will conduct a quality inspection and complete the work order. He will also indicate if there are any important facts to be made known to the plant manager.
After the work
Following the work, the room will need to be restored to working order. This means carefully removing the canvases and replacing the items. All vacuum and washing equipment will need to be thoroughly cleaned and ready for the next plant.
Other points to consider
You may have other factors to consider, for example:
- Wearing special clothing,
- The direction of traffic in the factory (especially food factories)
- Manage employee breaks and lunch. Before the break, ensure that no laundry, boiler, or other accessories are lying around.
- Ensure employees drink enough water. This job is very physical. Therefore, each worker must be in good physical condition and eat and drink well throughout the day.
- Make sure you're up to date with the required training and have an experienced team leader. You can't just wing it in this type of work. There are several risks and hazards to watch out for. Furthermore, in a food or industrial plant, several rules may apply.
