Many industrial processing facilities feature stainless steel conveyors, handrails and countertops. Here are two reasons why facilities of this kind tend to favour the use of this material.

Hygiene

Hygiene is important in any industrial facility. However, it is particularly vital in processing plants which produce consumable goods (such as food, pharmaceuticals or drinks), where the contamination of ingredients could not only result in the business being shut down, but could also endanger the health of customers who eventually consume the affected product.

Unlike plastic and rubber, which can contain microscopic holes in which pathogens can live and multiply, stainless steel is non-porous. This lack of porosity means that it is far easier to keep it free from harmful bacteria and viruses; a simple swipe of the surface with a disinfecting agent can effectively kill and remove any microbes present on it.

It is also resistant to corrosion, and thus can be subjected to regular disinfection (using chemical cleaning agents and water) without deteriorating.

This makes stainless steel the ideal choice for industrial processing plants, where any surfaces that will be touched by employees or that will come into contact with raw, bacteria-laden ingredients (such as meat or unwashed vegetables, for example), are easy to keep hygienically clean.

Safety

Safety standards need to be extremely high in an industrial processing facility. This is because large-scale product processing usually necessitates the use of heavy-duty, hazardous machinery and potentially toxic substances.

Handrails play a hugely important role in keeping employees safe as they move from one part of a facility to another. The handrails can prevent the workers from falling to the ground when working on upper-level platforms and serve as a barrier between them and any potentially dangerous machinery.

More often than not, the handrails found in industrial processing facilities are made from stainless steel. This material is used with such frequency in industrial settings that many stainless steel handrail fabrication companies design their products specifically for use in industrial processing plants.

Unlike, for example, wood, which can lose it structural strength when exposed to moisture, or aluminium, which can bend or weaken when subjected to impact, stainless steel is incredibly robust. It can retain its structural integrity even when exposed to things like fluctuating temperatures, water or a heavy blow. In practical terms, this means that employees can lean heavily on stainless steel handrails without running the risk of the handrail breaking under their weight and allowing them to fall or injure themselves.