In addition to contributing to food waste, product recalls can have a significant impact on the bottom line for food processing businesses, not to mention reputational damage. As well as contamination, food operations must contend with a host of unique risks and challenges, which may include harsh, corrosive work environments that are subject to strict regulation and are often tough on employees and equipment.
Adopting materials handling best practices and the right technologies can help reduce risk and help maintain food safety standards. All the while improving day-to-day performance in food processing.
Here are five common food safety risks in materials handling operations and how solutions from Yale Lift Truck Technologies may help mitigate them.
1. Contamination
From raw material intake to final packaging, food products are vulnerable to contamination. Food product recalls recently reached a ten-year high, with non-bacterial contamination the leading cause. Food has multiple touchpoints with materials handling equipment, where equipment lubricants and acid fumes or spills from power sources like lead acid batteries all present a contamination risk.
Using food-grade lubricants for forklifts and warehouse trucks can help reduce the risk of chemical contamination. Selecting materials handling equipment with lithium-ion batteries also removes exhaust emissions, as well as the need for battery watering and equalising processes. This helps maintain a clean production or storage environment.
Ask your Yale dealer about food safe lubricants.
2. Equipment Sanitisation
Sanitisation is essential, especially in food processing environments where bacteria is likely to thrive, such as meats, poultry, fruit and vegetables – which are the most commonly recalled food product types in Europe. A certain level of sanitisation is typically required as part of local health and safety regulations. However, not all materials handling equipment is designed to withstand such frequent wash-downs.
To keep foreign agents out that could contaminate stock, businesses can opt for equipment made with impermeable materials such as aluminium or composite surfaces. These materials also resist moisture absorption and allow for thorough cleaning. This may lessen the risk of microbial growth and help reduce vapour transmission. A choice of wash-down packages options is available for selected Yale warehouse trucks.
3. Harsh Environments
Corrosive fluids can be present in food processing environments, which could degrade lift trucks, leading to rust, breakdowns, and potential contamination. The moisture from frequently washing these corrosive substances off lift trucks can also take a similar toll. The upshot is more downtime, repairs, and replacement parts are needed, impacting uptime and incurring unplanned costs.
However, specialist lift truck packages are available with galvanised steel and heavy-duty frames. These are built to endure aggressive cleaning routines and corrosive conditions, protecting components, extending equipment life, and reducing maintenance downtime.
Discover solutions from the Yale Special Engineering Department.
4. Operator Incidents
Human error remains a risk factor in food safety. Spills, contamination, collisions, and improper handling can all compromise product integrity, as well as lead to injuries and damage.
Technologies such as operator assist systems that monitor surroundings in real time, alert operators to hazards may help support awareness while providing additional reaction time. Some systems, such as Yale Reliant, can also adjust truck performance automatically in certain circumstances.
5. Visibility and Traceability
Regulatory frameworks increasingly require full traceability of food products throughout the supply chain. Lack of visibility can delay response times and complicate recall efforts.
Having access to lift truck monitoring and impact detection, operator access control and pre-shift checklists can help isolate potential problems.
The Yale Vision forklift telemetry system provides real-time monitoring of lift truck and operator location, automated checklist compliance, and monitoring of utilisation and impacts to help operations optimise visibility. This supports compliance, enhances traceability, and helps improve overall fleet efficiency.
Combined strategies for food safety
Together with our independent dealer network, Yale Lift Truck Technologies offers a range of solutions to help food processing operations as part of their focus on meeting regulatory demands, protecting products, and empowering efficient operations.
Find out more about forklifts for food processing or speak to a local Yale dealer about flexible solutions for your business.
*Based on internal measurements between the two mast channels compared to the Linde E3.0, TCM/CAT/Mitsubishi FHB25 and Toyota 9FMB25T. Measurements taken in March 2023.
