Ideal Flooring for Abattoirs & Meat Processors

With a workforce of around 34,000 people, the Australian Meat Processing Sector is a world leader in processing beef, lamb, poultry & goat meat. Hygiene and worker safety are two of the most important things when it comes to this industry. This has recently been emphasised in a comprehensive article written by AuManufacturing regarding good food manufacturing practice being part of the Australian culture, and the impact this has had on minimising the effect of Covid-19 in Food Manufacturing facilities. Understanding this greatly assists us in providing the right antimicrobial flooring solutions.

There are four main challenges to be considered when looking at flooring options:

Wet Production Areas

Throughout many areas in an abattoir or meat processing facility, there are constant liquids on the floor, blood and other animal liquids, as well as cleaning liquids and chemicals. This imposes a large amount stress on the floor, and if preparation is not adequate, the floor will fail.

Exposure to Bacteria

Abattoirs and meat processing facilities are constantly exposed to airborne and water-borne bacteria. If the floor has been incorrectly installed, it can become an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

Constant Traffic

The constant forklift, heavy machinery and pedestrian traffic creates a very demanding environment, and a lot of stress on the floor.

Thermal Shock

One final challenge with flooring is the temperature variances throughout the facility. As the meat moves through the processing stages, eventually getting into a cool room or blast freezer, this change in temperature can cause the floor to crack if the preparation is not adequate.

The Ideal Flooring Solution

Finding a flooring solution that will withstand significant temperature changes, constant heavy traffic, wet production areas, while reducing the risk of bacteria growth on the floor is an ongoing challenge.

Firstly the one area that epoxy flooring solutions remain the superior answer in the meat processing industry is ‘high-care’ or ‘ready-to-eat’ areas. In this case, where there is limited foot and forklift traffic, and where the maximum hygiene standards must be upheld, and epoxy flooring solution is ideal. We recommend our SteriFloor Keimfrei flooring solution, preferably in a stipple finish to provide a measure of non-slip while still being extremely easy to keep clean and maintain.

But for all other areas in the meat processing facility, a polyurethane cement system with verified anti-microbial properties is ideal. At the right thickness, these systems can withstand high traffic volumes, are flexible in terms of temperature variances, and provide excellent resistance to chemicals, acids and alkalis. For this industry, we highly recommend our SteriFloor Stärke and Beschützen systems.