Food industry – Dairy products

Due to the various activities in the production of milk, cream and cheese, the staff is confronted with various chemical risks from the beginning to the end of the production chain.

1. CIP (Cleaning In Place) operations
   Pipes and diffusers must be cleaned between cycles to avoid residues from the previous production. Therefore, it is necessary for:
   – Alkaline cleaning (mixtures of sodium hydroxide/ sodium hypochlorite, chlorine)
   – Acid cleaning (phosphoric acid, nitric acid, peracetic acid)
2. Maintenance
   Tanks and trucks must be cleaned and livestock products must be free from bacteria or germs that could be harmful to humans. Before being placed in containers (stainless steel tanks), most containers must be cleaned with various chemicals such as alkaline products and acidic disinfectants (caustic soda, peracetic acid…).
   In addition, the maintenance of stainless steel pipes involves the use of hydrofluoric acid-based products in the form of a liquid or pickling paste used after welding operations.
3. Wastewater treatment
   Milk production generates large quantities of “white water” residues that must be treated with large quantities of caustic soda and sulfuric acid.
4. Laboratories
   From raw materials to finished products, various tests are carried out and there are a large number of different chemicals, varying from low to high concentrations.

The employee must decontaminate themselves quickly, even if they cannot see or move. The pain associated with the contact of the chemical with the eye or skin is also a burden. It is necessary to act efficiently and quickly.

The employee needs to have an effective rinsing solution against all irritating or corrosive chemicals and an effective solution against hydrofluoric acid (HF).