It is a known fact that any food related processing and manufacturing is considered to be one of the most demanding industries there is. With specific rules and regulations that must be complied from the delivery of raw materials to storage and all through out the processing and packaging stages are strictly monitored.

Production processes are becoming ever more stringent with the demands of certification systems such as ISO 9001,
ISO 22000, GMP or HACCP. Therefore choosing the right flooring in the food processing sector is of utmost importance for companies that want to operate up to standards especially if businesses want to legally trade their produce around the world.

 

Anti Slip
There is nothing that society emphasizes more on than safety. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, ” The legislative framework is to secure the safety, health and welfare among all Malaysian workforce and to protect others against risks to safety or health in connection with the activities of persons at work.”

Slips and falls on wet surfaces are injuries consequent from a non-slip resistant surface. Being a seafood processing company, chances are high when it comes to the usage of water, resulting in wet and slippery floors turning a smooth floor into an ice rink. Moreover, without the adequate drainage, excess liquid and contaminants could cause serious hazard. Ideally stainless steel drainage should be incorporated into a floor that has been laid to avoid ponding of water and for water to be drained away efficiently. The solution is to make sure that your floors aren’t completely smooth, by adding texture to your flooring offers better grip and improved safety.

Cemkrete’s expertise does not only extend to provide flooring solutions for commercial sector alone but also offers a comprehensive range of high performance, high quality flooring, jointing and repair products for both new and existing floor with various surface conditions. Get in touch for more details on Cemkrete’s product offerings as well as technical support and assistance.

Did you know? According to Malaysia statistics reported in 2006, There was a highest record of 786 falls in the workplace. Majority of the accidents occurred in the manufacturing field or more specifically in factories.

 

Hygienic & Certified
When it comes to food, there is no doubt that a hygienic environment is crucial to the establishment. The physical handling of food, equipment, food storage and all its surroundings must be clean and well maintained to ensure the sanitary integrity of the production area.

Due to its exposure to a wide variety of corrosive by-products and contaminants such as fats, oils, blood, sugar solutions and natural food acids, contamination and uncontrolled bacterial growth is likely to happen if early steps to prevention is not done properly. According to HACCP requirements, “A seamless surface that won’t provide germs and dirt with hard to clean hiding places but that helps the staff to quickly wash away unwanted substances.” That includes a flooring surface that doesn’t absorb grease, chemicals, harbor pests, bacteria or water. Excess water could pose as a threat if it starts to pool and stagnate, leaving room for unsanitary microbes and substances to colonize and potentially cause a food borne virus outbreak. As such, hygiene and safety are the top priority so as to avert the risk of foodborne illness resulting from contaminated meat and fish products.

In order to meet government requirements as well as strict export standards, it is imperative that the processing facility is of utmost cleanliness and that includes the flooring of choice. Implementing HACCP Certified flooring is a key standard for companies that want to export their goods to USA, EU or anywhere in the world for that matter. A specific certification to minimize the risk of contamination, creating an effective, clean, long lasting industrial environment. Getting a floor area right is a crucial part of an effective HACCP food safety management plan.

 

Thermal Shock
Being exposed to extreme conditions from wash down processes that involve scalding hot water to cold storage of goods which are lower in temperature ranging from -40°C to 0°C. , temperature change occurs at a significantly different rate. It is recommended a production area floor be covered by a polymer based flooring, to hold up under regular washdowns, temperature changes and thermal shock, helping prolong your flooring from delamination, cracks or bubbles.

 

Chemical Resistant
Where the presence of oils, blood, fats, sugar, acids etc., all contributing to the growth of unwanted bacteria, to ensure sanitary integrity, the cleaning process would require a lot of chemicals. Having to withstand harsh chemicals, power washing and even steam cleaning, the choice for an extremely durable flooring option is essential. Failure to do so will only cause for early peeling and extra downtime as chemicals or contaminants eat into the underlying concrete and eventually seep into the soil.

 

Impact Resistant
Whether you’re handling dried or wet goods, it is safe to assume that the facility is bound to have heavy machinery, forklifts, heavy pallets, dropping of tools or drums causing the surface to crack or chip. Over time, water can get into those cracks, mix with the highly alkaline concrete and begin eating away at the coating from underneath. The impact resistance of floors should be determined by the severity of impact, with that a conclusion of how thick the floor coating should be.

 

Uncovered concrete is not only a disaster waiting to happen, it also violates a bunch of regulations. Concrete is porous, so it will absorb all kinds of nasty things over time, which creates both an unsafe work environment and the potential for contamination. Luckily, polyurethane flooring is available to ideally perform under these conditions in food and beverage processing operations. It’s popularity continues as a choice of flooring in the food industry. These coatings tend to be somewhat more costly up front, but their service life often outlasts any other product categories. Meaning less downtime, reduced cost of repairs and risks of even having to shut down production.Polyurethane coatings can be customized in terms of slip resistance, antimicrobial protection, thickness and other characteristics to achieve optimal solutions for specific plant conditions.

Bear in mind when you move into other areas of the plant, your flooring demands will change, which means the materials needed will change. Slip/fall hazards may be the top priority in one part of the plant, while static electricity dissipation is important in another area. The type of flooring material will be very different depending on whether the area is used for chemical or dry material storage, or if it is for freezing and cooling. Cemkrete is equipped with years of experience to help in a thorough, objective analysis for any specific requirements you may need. We are only a email away.