You walk into a manufacturing facility where dust particles can contaminate delicate electronics, spills on the floor pose a slip-and-fall hazard, and greasy machinery can cause equipment breakdowns. Now, you enter another facility where these issues are minimised, ensuring that products meet quality standards, workers feel safe and motivated, and regulatory compliance is maintained. Which environment would you trust to produce reliable products and attract top talent?
In New Zealand, manufacturing has such a significant impact on the economy and workforce. It accounts for about 9% of the country’s GDP, employing over 222,000 as of 2023. To ensure operational efficiency, product quality, and worker well-being in this sector, clean and safe manufacturing environments must be the status quo. (1)
Here are the best practices for keeping manufacturing facilities clean and hygienic.
Understanding the Unique Needs of Your Facility
Manufacturing facilities demand customised cleaning solutions. Depending on what type of facility you have, and whether you are producing food, beverages, pharmaceuticals or are an industrial manufacturer, each type of facility has its own set of requirements.
For instance, food and beverage manufacturing facilities often have ‘redline’ requirements to clearly separate areas where different food products or allergens are processed. If a facility processes multiple types of foods (like gluten-containing and gluten-free products), cross-contamination could be harmful or even life-threatening for consumers with allergies or dietary restrictions. In contrast, a facility producing electronic components might focus more on controlling static electricity and dust.
The key is to tailor your cleaning approach to your specific environment. It is highly recommended you use cleaning agents, techniques, or schedules that are best suited to the products you are manufacturing.
Health and Safety
The manufacturing industry is one sector where work injuries often occur. According to a 2021 report, New Zealand’s manufacturing industry had one of the highest work-related injury claims at 162 cases – even higher than the construction sector. This means that in this industry, health and safety are everything. But how do you ensure you’re meeting the mark? (2)
Be compliant. Every manufacturing facility must adhere to health and safety guidelines, particularly when it comes to cleaning chemical use. This means following proper storage, handling, and disposal procedures.
But compliance isn’t a one-and-done deal. It requires continuous monitoring and regular inspections to ensure cleaning standards consistently meet requirements. This might involve daily checklists, weekly deep cleans, and monthly audits.
Remember, a small oversight in cleanliness can lead to big problems down the line. Stay vigilant and make health and safety your top priority.
Specialised Equipment and Products
Large-scale operations often require industrial-grade cleaning equipment to handle machinery, expansive floors, and specialised surfaces effectively. This might include heavy-duty floor scrubbers, pressure washers, or even specialised equipment for hard-to-reach areas. The right equipment can make cleaning more efficient and thorough, saving time and improving results.
When it comes to cleaning products, it’s not just about what cleans best. It’s also about what’s safest for your workers and the environment. Many facilities are now turning to eco-friendly cleaning products. These can be just as effective as traditional cleaners but with less environmental impact and fewer health risks for workers.
However, since not everyone has access to the right cleaning equipment and is savvy enough to use the best cleaning materials, it’s best to get expert help.
Professional Property & Cleaning Services (PPCS) has more than 30 years industry experience in New Zealand. We have specialised equipment and ISO 45001 Health and Safety certification to ensure the cleanliness of your manufacturing facilities. PPCS also also cleans different kinds of facilities and has the industry specific knowledge of which cleaning materials work best and are safe for everyone. To get in touch, you can visit this page.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Manufacturing cleaning isn’t as simple as swabbing with a mop and a bucket. Workers may be handling hazardous materials, dealing with complex machinery, or working in really challenging environments.
That’s where PPE comes in. Gloves, masks, goggles, and other protective gear aren’t optional extras—they’re essential tools of the trade. The variations of PPE will depend on cleaning tasks and the manufacturing environment, but the idea behind it is always the same: to protect workers from potential harm.
In addition, concentrate on high-touch areas. Control panels, push buttons, and handrails get cleaned and disinfected more frequently. These happen to be the regions through which germs are transmitted most often in other ways, and applying special care to those would significantly reduce the spread of illness within a facility by the workers.
Training and Certification of Cleaning Staff
Even the very best equipment and products won’t have much effect if your cleaning staff does not know how to use them effectively. That’s why training is such a huge piece of the equation.
While cleaning staff in manufacturing environments need specific training suited for their workplace, this might include learning about site-specific protocols on how to deal with sensitive equipment and knowing about potential risks in different areas of the facility.
Manufacturing facilities may require certifications to approve certain cleaning products for use on-site, ensuring they meet the necessary standards for safety, hygiene, and regulatory compliance. There are higher demands for cleaning requirements within the facility, especially the food and industrial industries. Also, certified cleaners, who have been made to understand why certain procedures need to be followed, will then be more consistent in their results.
Going Green
Today, sustainability is a business imperative. Adopting green cleaning practices creates a healthier workplace for your employees and enhances your company’s reputation as an eco-friendly business.
This may be accomplished with low-energy cleaning machinery, a non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaner, or actions to cut water usage. Some facilities are pushing further into emerging technologies, including electrolyzed water cleaning systems, which create effective cleaning solutions solely from water, salt, and electricity.
Wrapping Up
Keeping a manufacturing facility clean is no small feat. You must understand your unique needs, prioritise health and safety, use the right tools and products, protect your workers, train your staff, and consider sustainability.
But the payoff is worth it. A clean manufacturing facility is a safer, more efficient, and more productive one. It’s a place where workers feel valued, where quality products are made, and where success is built from the ground up.
References
- “Manufacturing fact sheet”, Source: https://www.amanz.nz/media/u0the2os/new-zealand-advanced-manufacturing-report-2023-distribution-ready.pdf
- “Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2021”, Source: https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/injury-statistics-work-related-claims-2021/
- “Commercial Cleaning Services in New Zealand – Market Research Report (2013-2028)”, Source: https://www.ibisworld.com/nz/industry/commercial-cleaning-services/574/
