Horizon Platforms Blog

Talk to Horizon Platforms about food processing MEWP hire

Electric scissor lifts enable you to safely clean & maintain your food factory. Talk to Horizon Platforms today about food processing MEWP hire

By Rory Duggan, Sales Director

Despite recent reductions, falling from height remains one of the most common causes of accidents in the food and drink manufacturing industry.  Maintenance and cleaning tasks account for some of the highest risk activities in food factories, but if work is properly planned and supervised and mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) are used correctly by trained, competent operators, they can offer huge advantages to people working in the food industry.

Work at height platforms enable:

  • safe access to hard-to-reach places, reducing the risk of injury and falls while carrying out essential cleaning and maintenance tasks on food industry machines
  • operators to work at height for longer
  • a range of tools and equipment to be carried on the platform rather than the person
  • work at a variety of different heights, from mid-level conveyor belts to full height ceilings
  • jobs to be carried out quickly – particularly important in chilled food environments

 

Small, safe, clean machines
Work at height covers all tasks where people could fall and injure themselves if precautions weren’t taken. In the food industry, that includes everything from cleaning silos and disinfecting vats to carrying out ceiling repairs and clearing blockages.

Wherever possible, preventative maintenance and routine cleaning of food processing machinery should be scheduled in advance and carried out regularly to avoid problems arising in the first place; pre-arranging a factory supply of MEWPs is a great way to keep costs down, reduce downtime, ensure all operators are fully briefed and trained and all necessary equipment and tools are on hand.

 

Flexible hire periods
Inevitably, some reactive work such as emergency repairs will be needed, and our flexible food processing MEWP hire periods mean you can hire a platform from a single day to long term contracts. There’s also an option to buy your own machines if that suits you better. Choose from:

You can spread the cost with a range of finance options and make sure your machines are in full working order with our platform maintenance contracts. Whether you decide to hire or buy from us, our platforms will ensure you achieve the standards of quality, safety and hygiene you and your customers expect.

 

Advice and machines on tap
We have a large fleet of lean machines ideal for clean environments and small spaces. Before we recommend the best platform for your job, our experts will come to you to carry out a site survey, free of charge and with no obligation. That way, we can see your working environment first hand before we recommend the best kit for the job. The most popular platforms for indoor use in food manufacturing and processing include:

  • Electric scissor lifts: providing straight up access, these lifts are available in a range of widths and platform sizes; electric/battery powered models can carry multiple operators
  • Personnel lifts: a great choice for straight up access in ultra-narrow spaces, personnel lifts have zero tail swing and allow you to get into nooks and crannies. These battery-powered machines are suitable for use by one operator.
  • Boom lifts: battery and bi energy for up and over access, making them a great choice for cleaning high and mid-level food factory machinery such as conveyor belts. Some models can reach up to 30m.

We also offer a range of larger diesel-powered machines for outdoor use such as cleaning and maintaining silos and carrying out roofing and gutter repairs.

We own a fleet of delivery trucks, so prompt transport of your chosen platforms to and from your site is fast and efficient. What’s more, all our delivery drivers are qualified IPAF demonstrators who can give you a refresher demo when they arrive on site with your platform.

 

Key features of MEWPs for use in the food industry include:

  • Indoor-only use
  • Compact: fit through a standard doorway
  • Reach heights of 5 – 30m
  • Battery/electric powered: perfect for extended running time
  • Narrow aisle and ultra-narrow aisle models
  • Clean: fleet dedicated to food industry use
  • Quiet: food factories can be noisy environments; we won’t add to it
  • Manoeuvrable
  • Zero tail swing
  • Versatile: straight up only or up and over an obstacle
  • Non-marking tyres

A range of accessories are also available – from wheel covers to nappies/drip trays – and platforms can be tailored for use in non-standard environments such as cold stores where synthetic oil and gel batteries are recommended for operation below -20°C temperatures.

 

Our top platforms for food manufacturers
Here are my recommendations for the best platforms for work at height in the food processing and manufacturing industry:

 

Contact us
To discuss food processing MEWP hire, call our experts today