Ever wondered how to reduce outside contamination in facilities? The answer might surprise you: magnetic floor mats. In this comprehensive guide, we take a deep dive into the world of magnetic floor mats, explaining their importance in maintaining cleanliness and preventing potential contaminations.
Magnetic Floor Mats and Their Importance
Magnetic floor mats are special ground coverings made with embedded magnets that attract and capture metal and ferrous particles, increasing the cleanliness and safety of the environment. This innovative technology has found its place in numerous industries, notably in food processing, where sanitary conditions are crucial for product quality and safety.
The importance of these mats lies in their ability to provide an efficient means to reduce and control contamination. Magnetic Mats increase cleanliness of sensitive production areas, enhance product safety and reduce risks of metal contamination entering the product. In an environment, such as a food processing plant, a high degree of hygiene and cleanliness is required and the use of magnetic mats helps in achieving this through efficient collection of metal contaminants.
Understanding Outside Contamination in Facilities
What Is Outside Contamination?
Outside contamination in facilities refers to any form of pollutants or hazardous elements introduced from external sources. These can enter a building or structure through various routes like air ducts, entrances and exits, or by being carried in by people and equipment. Common outside contaminants include dust, organic materials, and metallic particles.
For instance, in the food industry, such contaminants, if they find their way into the product stream, can pose risk to consumer health and safety, while also degrading product quality. That’s why preventing and controlling outside contamination is paramount for maintaining industry standards.
Potential Causes and Impacts of Outside Contamination
Outside contamination can originate and be transmitted from multiple sources like the soles of shoes, building sites, and outdoor environments. External contaminants such as microorganisms, dust particles, and metal shavings may stick to the shoe soles and trace their way into the production areas. Such contaminants pose a significant risk to industries where hygiene is critical, such as food and healthcare sectors.
Potential impacts of outside contamination can range from a decline in product quality to serious health risks. For instance, in the food industry, foreign contaminants can lead to product recalls, damaging a brand’s reputation and trust among consumers. Therefore, effective measures like usage of magnetic floor mats, in the right places, can significantly reduce the risk of external contamination.
Your Food Safety Management Systems are an essential ingredient in your recipe for success. Learn how processing facilities can unlock the full potential of food safety.
How Do Magnetic Floor Mats Work to Reduce Outside Contamination
Magnetic floor mats function by using the inherent properties of magnets to attract and hold onto metallic particles. As people or machinery move over these mats, any metallic particles present are captured, thereby preventing these contaminants from entering sensitive inner spaces. Their application in sectors like food processing allows for greater product security by inhibiting the entry of metallic contaminants.
The Magnattack® Mag-Stride Magnetic Mat
The Magnattack® Mag-Stride® Magnetic Mat has a powerful magnetic base which has over 200 enclosed high-strength magnets. The mat has a fabric top treated with an anti-soiling solution to maximize hygiene, and has a sloped silicone surround to reduce trip hazards.
The Mag-Stride® Magnetic Mats are easy to install, low maintenance, and are an excellent way to monitor unwanted workshop metal content. They effectively capture and retain ferrous contamination such as magnetic shavings, metal chips, fine wear iron, rust, magnetic stone, and other magnetic swarf.
The Interaction Between Magnetic Properties and Contaminants
The magnetic cleaning zone formed by the magnetic mat serves as a stronghold against contaminants. When foot traffic passes over these mats, ferrous particles from shoe soles are attracted and captured by the mat’s magnetic field, thus, preventing metal contamination from being walked into production facilities.. This is due to the interaction between the magnetic field created by the magnetic properties of the mat and the metallic contaminants.
Such interaction could be even more prolific within food industry environments, where food safety is of top-notch importance. Hair-thin metal fragments, which could pose a substantial hazard, are readily picked up by the magnets integrated into the mat, increasing product security as a result. Consequently, magnetic mats serve as vital weapons against food contamination.
Using Magnetic Floor Mats in Your Facility
Proper Location and Installation of Magnetic Floor Mats
To maximize the benefits of your magnetic floor mat, you must strategically place it where it’ll be most effective in reducing contamination. Installation at all entrances and high-traffic areas, including those connected to outdoor areas, can be optimal. This will ensure ferrous contaminants are captured off shoe soles before they have a chance to infiltrate your facility’s interior.
Key Takeaways
Maximize hygiene, please your auditors, and keep your managers and customers satisfied with our innovative contamination control solution, the Mag-Stride™ Magnetic Mat. Installed at entry and exit points, this powerful mat captures and retains metal fragments like magnetic shavings, rust, and more, so you can increase your level of food safety. Contact us today to learn more about our magnetic floor mat.
