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MechChem Africa
•
August 2017
G
avin Herold, general manager for
Africa and the Middle East for
Nilfisk, one of the world’s leading
suppliers of cleaning equipment,
says that: “when used properly, Nilfisk tech-
nology can improve cleanliness and safety
The mining industry has very specific cleaning challenges and any equipment used
within a mine must comply with occupational health and safety requirements.
The good news for the industry is that there is now a new generation of Nilfisk
technology that is fit for this purpose.
Key improvements have been increased power
for vacuums and water sprays, greater mobility,
more customisable options, improved ergonomics,
reduced consumable use and easier maintenance.
Cleaning
the mining industry
while lifting productivity and reducing costs.”
Key improvements in recent times have been
increased power for vacuums and water
sprays, greater mobility, more customisable
options, improved ergonomics, reduced
consumable use and far easier maintenance.
Inundergroundworkshops, washbays and
onmachinery,thereareverystrictregulations
on the type of equipment that can be used
because of fumes, so there is now a bespoke
range of electrically powered cleaning equip-
ment that can deal with big or small spaces.
An example is the Electra stationary
pressure washer unit that has a number of
safety features, including a thermostatically
controlled overheating safety device and a
lowwater cut out feature. These units can be
tailor-made and fittedwith up to three hoses.
Powerful autoscrubbers and sweepers
with high brush pressures are also available
for underground use in workshops and in
areaswhere there is serious potential for slip-
ping on accumulated dust. This is particularly
relevant on the concrete platforms between
levels where big machines load dump trucks.
Highly robust andmobile hotwatermachines
such as the Novastar are available for this
cleaning task.
In some open cast mine workshops there
are specialised sections to remove and clean
engines, in which case the MH 5M or the
Electra stationary unitwill do the jobdepend-
ing on the size of machinery to be cleaned.
Sweepers andautoscrubbers canbedeployed
as well.
Mines usually have their own labs for
testing ore samples. In these environments,
hazardous dust, spillages or very fine debris
can cause issues. An industrial type vacuum
cleaner such as the S2, S3, T40 or 3907 is
required. These can run continuously and are
ideally suited to fine debris.
Oil spillages and sizable debris can be
cleaned using automatic scrubber dryers and
these are available in a range of sizes fromthe
SC530 to a SC1500, while sweepers, such
as the BK900 can also be used or, for bigger
areas such as warehouses, the SR1601 or
the SW8000.
“Nilfisk cleaning equipment works faster,
more safely and economically and, as a result,
it lifts productivity and improves the work-
place environment,” concludes Herold.
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