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Swarf Mat Requirements for Maintenance/Engineering Shops?

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jorgeoaleman

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Posted 04 May 2012 - 02:09 PM

Are swarf mats required at all Maintenance/Engineering Shops' exits to facility or only when the exits are adjacent to production areas? Are there any acceptable alternatives to swarf mats?

Jorge



wijit

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 12:35 PM

This is only my opinion, but I prefer to see swarf mats at the exit of all engineering sections on food production sites. It clears any change of ambiguity and gives a reassurance to both visitors and auditors.
I have known some auditors to request them, and others to not, so it seems to be just opinion.



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Simon

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 08:20 PM

It's good practice and like Charles I have experienced auditors who want it and others who do not. At the end of the day it is a low cost improvement. If you don't want swarf mats at entrances/exits to engineering shops you can at least put them at places in the shop where swarf is generated such as pillar drill and lathe. Modern swarf mats often have anti fatigue properties, so that will help to keep the hard working engineers fighting fit.

Regards,
Simon


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Dr Vu

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 11:57 AM

i am trying to get some 'swarf' mats  .. but i guess the North American name for the mat is different.. anyone who has a supplier in mind in North America and maybe the name..all i see is mostly anti slip Mats. Please assist.


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Urban Explorer

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 09:33 PM

I'm in the US and we call them swarf mats as well but the basic function of them is a "sticky mat" or "clean room mat".  That's what we use here anyway because they really grab the dirt and debris off their shoes.  It's positioned at the exit door of the maintenance shop and they must replace it often, but they are relatively cheap. 

 

Do a google search for those terms and you should be able to get a North American source, even Amazon has them.



Charles.C

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 12:52 AM

I'm in the US and we call them swarf mats as well but the basic function of them is a "sticky mat" or "clean room mat".  That's what we use here anyway because they really grab the dirt and debris off their shoes.  It's positioned at the exit door of the maintenance shop and they must replace it often, but they are relatively cheap. 

 

Do a google search for those terms and you should be able to get a North American source, even Amazon has them.

Hi Sue Ellen/Dr Vu,

 

I tried Googling for about 3-4 pages  and all i could find was UK, Australia and Amazon but I guessed the last one was not wanted due on-line (?).


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


Dr Vu

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Posted 17 July 2015 - 03:09 PM

Thanks Sue and Charles,.. i cant find anything on my end.. i guess i gotta buy them from UK..... we had our first Tesco audit and  one issue was the  mats


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SpursGirl

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Posted 17 July 2015 - 05:22 PM

Try these guys......they appear to supply to USA and Canada.

 

http://www.abatement...sticky-mats.htm



Nigel11

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Posted 31 July 2015 - 02:34 PM

Hi Guys

Im new to this forum, but as a maintenance engineer at a food co, I am concerned with how we follow food statues as required by both BRC and HACCP. Can anyone highlight how an engineering plan must be done and implemented in a food plant chasing these standards.



RG3

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Posted 31 July 2015 - 07:48 PM

Are swarf mats required at all Maintenance/Engineering Shops' exits to facility or only when the exits are adjacent to production areas? Are there any acceptable alternatives to swarf mats?

Jorge

Hi Jorge,

 

   You can try these from the US: McMaster calls them sticky mats, Grainger calls them tacky mats, Uline calls them Clean mats but they're essentially the same function. They appease the auditors. It's like stepping onto tape before leaving the maintenance shop.

 

http://www.mcmaster....ky-mats/=yamywd

 

http://www.grainger....uery=tacky mats

 

http://www.uline.com/BL_1762/Clean-Mat



FFadipe

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Posted 28 August 2015 - 03:51 PM

Is there any requirement for documenting changing of swarf mats? Relatively new in my new job and having audited engineering twice, i find that they change this swarf mats regularly and they are always looking good. But our procedure says they must record each time the mat is changed which i find ridiculous.

 

I find the records for swarf mat change are never being completed and i am pushing for this layer of documentation to be removed.

 

Any thoughts, experience or comments on this?



bornyesterday

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Posted 24 December 2016 - 04:36 AM

Is there any requirement for documenting changing of swarf mats? Relatively new in my new job and having audited engineering twice, i find that they change this swarf mats regularly and they are always looking good. But our procedure says they must record each time the mat is changed which i find ridiculous.

 

I find the records for swarf mat change are never being completed and i am pushing for this layer of documentation to be removed.

 

Any thoughts, experience or comments on this?

 

Late response, but BRC (Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 7: July 2015) is as follows:

 

4.7.7

Engineering workshops shall be kept clean and tidy and controls shall be in place to prevent transfer of engineering debris to production or storage areas.

 

If your Engineering Department decided on the "sticky mat" variety of swarf mat solutions, and if an auditor interpreted "controls shall be in place..." to beg the question "what measurable criteria decides when your sticky mat is no longer effective?"  In that context, perhaps trending the replacement mat interval might make sense


“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking."  - Henry Ford

 




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