Why is Manually Cleaning Rolls in Food Processing Dangerous?
It’s surprising how many food processors use homemade tools to manually clean process rolls, belts, and wires during production instead of a continuous roll cleaning system. All types of manufacturing involves high personnel risk, but food processors have a responsibility to make their process not only food safe for the end user, but operator safe during production.
Understanding the risks of manually cleaning rolls during production helps illustrate the importance of incorporating continuous roll cleaning solutions into the food production process like the VeriLite™ roll cleaner assembly. Here are some safety concerns to be aware of that are associated with the manual cleaning of rolls and belts.
Thermal Burns
The rolls used during food processing can operate at high temperatures for cooking, drying, and pressing. Manual contact with a hot surface before having adequate cooling time can cause severe burns. However, waiting for rolls to cool may not be a viable option due to the increase in downtime.
Crushing, Pinching, and Entanglement Injuries
Rolls and belts are part of complex machinery in food processing that can pose serious injury risks. Rolls rotate at different speeds typically in very tight spaces. A body part that gets caught in the nip between the rolls could be crushed or pinched. Wearing appropriate PPE and avoiding loose clothing, jewelry or long hair around the roll processing area helps to avoid entanglements.
Trips and Falls
The environment around food processing rolls and belts can become slippery due to residues from the food product being cleaned off the rolls or belt. Manual cleaning increases the risk of slipping or possibly falling, especially if proper housekeeping practices are not strictly followed.
Food Contamination
The safety risks for operators has been the focus of this article so far, but food safety is important to mention here. Any type of inadequate cleaning method or interruptions in hygienic procedures can lead to foreign objects, pathogens, or other contaminants entering the food product. These types of cross contamination can have detrimental effects on the final food product.
KADANT'S ROLE
The continuous cleaning of rolls and belts, in food processing is where Kadant’s roll cleaning technology improves production, safety, and the end product. The VeriLite™ roll cleaner assembly is a unique, compact, continuous roll cleaner to keep the rolls free of contaminates. And, the VeriLite roll cleaning assembly along with several roll cleaning blades, scrapers, and knives are HACCP International food safe certified. Check out the case study, “UK Chocolate Producer Increases Continuous Cleaning and Reduces Roll Damage,” to learn more about the positive effects of continuous roll cleaning.
The continued reliance on makeshift tools and manual cleaning methods presents unnecessary risks to both worker safety and product integrity. As the food processing industry evolves, the adoption of continuous roll cleaning systems like the VeriLite roll cleaner assembly represents not just a technological advancement but a fundamental commitment to creating safer workplaces.
