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Expectations
Food Industry
Food industry settings must comply with strict hygiene and environmental control standards, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Food Safety Management Systems. However, many facilities struggle with IAQ due to outdated extraction systems, high levels of airborne grease or dust, or poorly regulated humidity and temperature — especially in zones where raw and cooked products are handled in close proximity.
Additionally, COSHH regulations require food businesses to control staff exposure to substances like flour dust (a known respiratory sensitiser), cleaning chemicals, and combustion byproducts from cooking or machinery. Without effective air monitoring and targeted ventilation strategies, businesses can unknowingly exceed Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs), posing risks to both staff health and audit compliance.
We help businesses identify their air quality risks with detailed IAQ assessments and installation of appropriate filtration, ventilation, or monitoring systems. In an industry where poor air quality can open the door to various legal troubles, be confident that the systems within your space are working to enhance the air quality. From small bakeries to large-scale processing plants, we have the knowledge and expertise to offer tailored IAQ solutions which keep staff happy, ensure compliance under UK law, and enhance your brand's reputation.
Relevant services
- HVAC Maintenance
- Fire Damper Testing
- Water Quality Testing
- TM44 Inspections
- Grease Cleaning
- Ductwork Cleaning
- Mould Testing
- WEL Testing
Featured Project
Installing Bipolar Ionisation devices for a leading food producer
Objectives
In the food industry, clean air is essential to keep food from going bad too quickly or absorbing bad smells from its environment. When we were contacted by our client, a leading name in UK food production, we understood how important high quality air is to maintain high staff wellbeing and to keep produce safe for consumption. The client enquired about Bipolar Ionisation technology which works to cleanse the air via charged ions which ""attack"" airbourne pollutants. We were contacted at first in 2019 to generally cleanse the air after some poor air quality tests validated some concerns that the facility's Air Handling Units (AHUs) weren't working effectively enough to reduce smells and purify the air. As a result, they contacted us to determine whether Bipolar Ionisation would be an effective method, to which we agreed.
We were contacted again a year later once COVID had a foothold at the forefront of everyone's minds. Our client, impressed by how effectively the Bipolar Ionisation units worked previously, requested 4 new units to be installed to ensure any COVID-19 particles, or any other microbial matter, would be neutralised quickly.
Solutions
The technology works as follows: the unit interacts with oxygen atoms to positively or negatively charge them. These oxygen ions are released (usually propelled into the environment due to the AHUs airflow) and spread throughout the space. These ions stick to airbourne pollutants to actively neutralise or make them less severe. With microscopic particles, ions clump together and act as a glue which sticks multiple particles together so that they can then be easily filtered through a physical filter within the AHU. While the same is possible for fungal particles, Bipolar Ionisation also neutralises fungi, bacteria, and viruses by disrupting their cellular structures to inhibit their ability to survive and reproduce. This method also works to effectively reduce smells by breaking down certain molecules and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The method works effectively when paired with air filters like HEPA filters, ePM10 filters, or Molecular Filters which may struggle to capture particularly small particles without the support of Bipolar Ionisation to clump particles together.
We got to work to decide which type of Bipolar Ionisation unit to use. We first needed to understand the size, rate of airflow, and types of filters used within their existing systems. We decided on a leading brand, PlasmaAir, to supply the units to ensure the indoor air of the food storage facility would be cleaned to the highest standard. We fitted these units inside the AHU itself as this helps to keep the interior clean where particles and microbial matter can sometimes get stuck. This also works to reduce the frequency of cleaning and servicing required, leading to reduced maintenance costs.
Results
After our installations, our client and their staff were relieved that the air within their facility was now cleaner. They appreciated that their workplace was now much safer from COVID due to the active neutralisation of microbial matter. Not only did this decrease the staff's likelihood of getting ill, but it was crucial in reducing the likelihood that any viruses could be transported out of the facility via packaged goods.
As a food packaging and storage facility, bad smells used to be commonplace, but our Bipolar Ionisation units worked effectively to reduce these smells. What was once a stuffy, odorous facility became a much cleaner, healthier one almost overnight in which the staff felt much happier working. On top of that, the client's AHUs will now operate for longer without maintenance required, lowering the overall operating costs.
Challenges
- Large food storage facility
- COVID-19 risk
- Sensitive food items
"In this type of environment, it's crucial to keep bad odours and airborne pollutants to a minimum. Fortunately, this client already understood that Bipolar Ionisation would be an effective way to cleanse their air — particularly when COVID was so concerning — and so they approached us ready with a solution which really propelled these projects to be completed very quickly. Following the installations, we set the facility back on track to ensure their food quality wasn't hindered by bad smells, and we kept staff safe by reducing the quantities of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the air."
Adam Taylor, CEO of ARM Environments
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