ACO has made a strong commitment to hygienic drainage systems with its HygieneFirst philosophy that ensures all ACO grates, gullies and channels are completely cleanable.

Designed to help to achieve the greatest possible hygiene levels for food production and retail facilities, ACO’s products are made of stainless steel for corrosion resistance and easy cleaning. They are constructed to give round edges for safe and easy handling, and smooth contours that won’t trap contaminants. Additionally, the grates are slip resistant to minimise the risk of injury in the workplace.

In a bakery, restaurant or food processing plant, the possibility for bacteria to grow exists everywhere from tea towels, utensils and appliances to the floor. To prevent these areas becoming breeding grounds for pathogens such as listeria and salmonella, food preparation areas must be as clean as possible.

Drainage systems can contribute to this.

Once benchtops, appliances, equipment, cupboards and walls have been cleaned, cleaning water and products are swept or washed down into the drainage system via a grate and into the floor gully.

With many drainage systems, the design of the grate, floor gully and drainage channel makes it difficult to clean thoroughly, creating sites for potential bacteria growth that can spread via foot traffic or wash-down spray.

“The drains primary objective is to remove wastewater, be easily cleaned and subsequently be kept clean. If drainage is designed and installed correctly, it will reduce the bacteria that can harbour in joins, corners or crevices that occur with poor designs, thereby reducing the overall risk of contamination and food spoilage,” says ACO Australia product manager Kate Jennings.

The ACO system has no joins or crevices where bacteria can build up, no sharp corners that are difficult for brooms, mops and cleaning fluids to reach and clean, and a drainable design that ensures no residual contaminated wastewater can pool and stagnate.

ACO recommends the below cleaning procedure for its stainless steel channels, drains and floor gullies:

• Clear away any excess material sitting on top of the grate
• Remove the grate
• Remove strainer basket and any traps
• Give the grate, trap and strainer a rinse
• Apply the cleaning foam (or cleaning fluid) on all components
• Leave it to soak
• Scrub if needed
• Rinse
• Check for any visual signs of build-up and clean it again if needed
• Return the trap, strainer and grate to its correct position
• One final rinse.

“Regular maintenance and inspection is often overlooked and must be part of the overall cleaning procedure for the floor and drainage system to ensure a safe food preparation environment,” says Kate.