Shutdown season is approaching and now is the time to schedule your facility's industrial cleaning services. Even with this time set aside just for these yearly tasks, seasonal shutdowns can be a stressful time for those in charge of planning it. However, these periods are important to your facility.
What Services Should be a Part Of Your Shutdown Cleaning Routine?
If a seasonal shutdown is approached correctly and is planned out well it can save the company significant amounts of money in the future. Here are a few things you might want to consider.
1. Combustible Dust Remediation
For a fire to burn it needs three elements present simultaneously: Fuel, Ignition, and Oxygen – also known as the “Fire Triangle”. But for a combustible dust explosion, two additional elements are needed to form what is known as the “Dust Explosion Pentagon”. These two elements are Confinement and Dispersion. They are created when the fuel, in this case combustible dust, is spread out as a dust cloud within a closed area, such as a factory or warehouse.
Proper combustible dust cleaning is one of the most effective ways to prevent a dust explosion. By taking away the fuel from the dust explosion pentagon it removes the risk of an explosion, and also removes the possibility for a fire. The NFPA combustible dust standards outline the best methods for cleaning this dust, which should only be done by a trained professional.
2. Rafter & Ceiling Cleaning
Anything hanging from the ceiling or walls is slowly collecting this debris, which can be disturbed by motion below and fall onto the manufacturing floor below.
Cleaning these high surface areas is difficult, if not impossible to do when machinery is operating and employees are present, but when the plant is shut down it becomes much easier to clean this dust.
3. HVAC Systems Cleaning
Dust in the ductwork or coils can let microbes or fungus grow, which can be a health hazard when it blows through the building.
Commercial duct cleaning also improves airflow, allowing your facility’s HVAC system to run more efficiently, and help reduce the risk of fire in HVAC Systems, especially in manufacturing facilities where combustible dust is present.
4. Exhaust Systems Cleaning
Whether you are in a restaurant or home kitchen, exhaust gases will leave residue on the inside of the ductwork. If enough grease residue exists within the ducts, it can act as a source of fuel, carrying the threat of fire further into the exhaust system.
Proper kitchen exhaust cleaning is critical to fire prevention. Not to mention, it will improve the ventilation of smoke and other odors throughout your kitchen creating a fresher environment for the kitchen staff.
5. Equipment Cleaning
Dust collected on machinery during the manufacturing process can build up causing the equipment to become damaged.
6. Facility Deep Cleaning
Using a combination of hand wiping and/or an electrostatic sprayer to apply a disinfectant/solution that is EPA registered will also help fight against the cause of viruses and bacteria on surfaces. Make sure to target high touch surfaces, such as, light switches, doors and door knobs, desks and chairs, water fountains, and any common areas that get a high volume of traffic.
It’s time to think about what cleaning your building needs.
Contact Us Here, or call us at 888-845-3952 to discuss your cleaning needs and what we can do for you during your shutdown. Even if your company doesn’t have a seasonal shutdown, we will work around your schedule to get any cleaning services performed.
