Seating benches play a critical role in barrier management between hygienic areas within the food and pharmaceutical industries. Becoming a physical marker of the transition between areas, the right seating bench not only reduces the chance of cross-contamination but also signifies a change in hygienic mindset among staff. In today’s blog, we explore the role a seating bench plays in controlling contamination pathways and the significance of the design chosen.
Barrier management
A method of hygiene control and contamination prevention, seating benches serve as a physical divider between hygienic areas, enforcing a structured transition process that minimises the risk of cross-contamination. Seating benches can be used to create controlled entry points that ensure staff adhere to strict cleanliness procedures before stepping into critical processing areas.
One of the key functions of seating benches in barrier management is to enforce footwear and PPE changeovers. By placing benches at transition points, employees are required to sit down and remove outside footwear before stepping into the hygienically controlled area where they must wear sanitised footwear or shoe covers. This simple process significantly reduces the transfer of contaminants between ‘dirty’ or low risk zones and those that require stringent hygiene procedures such as production areas, labs or cleanrooms.
Hygienic design
Teknomek offers a range of designs constructed from 304L & 316L stainless steel with the option of electropolishing for ultra-sterile environments such as cleanrooms. This includes shelved, enclosed and s-clad variants to incorporate PPE and footwear storage. As with all Teknomek designs, our stainless steel seating benches are constructed with minimal dirt traps and clean welds to prevent the build-up of bacteria. Offering high corrosion and chemical resistance, they are easy to clean and ensure both durability and longevity.
We also offer seating benches as part of our laboratory furniture collections from Trespa & Sealwise. These have direct contact with the floor, creating a full, physical divide between the two zones. Some companies may find this divide beneficial; however, many opt for our stainless steel seating benches which are raised off the floor and feature adjustable feet. Not only does this allow for easy cleaning and ventilation, reducing the chance of mould and bacteria, but the adjustable feet provide greater stability on uneven floors.
Bespoke solutions
Need a solution for your particular floor layout? Teknomek strives on its ability to design bespoke and customised furniture with optimised, hygienic features. From creating a wheelchair-friendly seating bench that can be lifted for full accessibility to seating benches with built-in swivel seats to assist staff in donning footwear while crossing hygienic zones, our design engineers are on-hand to help.
Seating benches are an essential component of barrier management within the food and pharmaceutical sectors - preventing contamination, enforcing hygiene practices and supporting regulatory compliance. Their strategic placement and design directly contribute to maintaining a controlled and safe production environment.
If you would like to place an order, or if you are seeking a solution tailored to your needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our sales team on+44 (0)1603 788 833 or email mail@teknomek.co.uk.
Don’t forget that we also have a free seating bench buying guide to help you select the best option for your business.
