July/August 2020

R ecognising that cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation are essential and crucial activities in the prevention of COVID 19 is one of the first steps towards providing a safe working environment, and deserving of special consideration by all businesses, which combined with the appropriate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), can help to protect against the spread of the disease in the industrial workplace. The government recommends increasing the frequency of cleaning paying attention to all surfaces but especially ones that are touched frequently, such as door handles, light switches, and work surfaces. It recommends as a minimum, frequently touched surfaces should be wiped down at the beginning and at the end of each day, and more frequently depending on: the number of people using the space, whether they are entering and exiting the setting, and access to hand washing and hand- sanitising facilities. Surfaces and belongings can be contaminated with COVID-19 when people who are infectious cough or sneeze or touch them. Transmission of COVID-19 can occur when someone else then touches the contaminated surface or item. The person may become infected if they touch their nose, eyes or mouth with a contaminated hand or object. With this in mind, Steve Smith, director, Hi-line Industries Ltd, explains that his company initially developed a sanitising product to protect his own staff: “When our service engineers went out to site, they used Hi- Kleen on the equipment they were about to service. “Once finished the servicing, they sanitised again and handed the machine back to production. Very quickly our customers wanted it for themselves.” The company went from unbranded kegs of sanitiser to the branded Hi- Kleen and then to an aerosol his engineers could leave behind with the customer, to finally an established product and a strong part of his business. Steve Smith explains that regular cleaning plays a vital role in limiting the transmission of COVID-19 and paying particular attention to surfaces that are touched frequently or areas of heavy traffic like reception areas, are especially important, as is any equipment that is handled: “This includes the interiors of vehicles, mobile phones, laptops etc and any other handheld devices. Any visits to client’s premises to install or service equipment will need to be taken into account.” He highlights that all items leaving his company’s premises are sanitised using Hi-Kleen room and surface sanitiser prior to despatch. Promoting effective cleaning and preparation within manufacturing facilities is now fast becoming the new normal, explains Steve Smith. Increasingly all employees will need to be educated and trained to adhere to the new cleaning regimes and working practises used in their specific working environments. He adds that certain members of staff will now need to be responsible for overseeing and ensuring that these are implemented: “Ultimately, it will require a process of ongoing re-education 10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk July/August 2020 Insight PWE spoke to Steve Smith, director, Hi-line Industries Ltd, about how his company went from developing an unbranded sanitising product which was initially used to protect his own staff from COVID-19 to the branded Hi-Kleen and then to an aerosol he could leave behind with his customers, and finally to an established product which now forms a strong part of his business. Sanitising is the new normal!