Meyn Poultry Equipment Case Study
phs Besafe Provides Range of Protective Garments for All Environments
Background
With over 45 years’ experience installing, servicing and providing spare parts for poultry handling and processing machines, Basingstoke-based Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd can quite definitely be considered as experts in their field. Dealing with all aspects of apparatus for bird slaughtering, plucking, evisceration, chilling, weighing, cut up and deboning, the highly qualified team prides itself on a first-class service.
Challenge
The nature of the work at Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd is varied, with different aspects taking the team into contact with both biohazards and fire risks. A full range of protective workwear was required to ensure defence from poultry waste encountered during installation and servicing of the plants, as well as the welding, lathing and milling that takes place in the workshops where the equipment is prepared.
Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd had previously found difficulty in finding a single supplier who could cover the wide range of garments required, while also being able to adhere to the designated timescale for laundering the workwear and returning to site. Garments were often not in the right place at the right time. Constantly looking at innovative ways to improve the business, Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd needed a reliable workwear and laundry service provider to complement their already outstanding services and products.
Solution
Hearing about the challenges that Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd was facing in sourcing a reliable workwear supplier, an existing phs Besafe customer recommended the specialist workwear and laundry service provider to John Penn, Field Service Engineer at Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd.
phs Besafe Account Manager, Kevin MacMahon was able to assess the full needs of the team at Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd and the different hazards involved in day-to-day operations. He recommended polycotton coveralls, jackets and trousers for use during installation and maintenance at customer sites as well as Flame Gear fire-retardant coveralls for use during engineering processes involving welding and sheet metal work.
Prior to being issued with any of the workwear, all relevant team members were measured for correct fit. They were also issued with dedicated lockers for the deposit of dirty garments and safe return of clean, laundered items. After a trial period, the garments were remeasured and adjusted where necessary.
The workwear has been provided in conjunction with phs Besafe’s market-leading commercial laundry service with weekly collection from Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd and 7-day turnaround as standard. Garments and laundry process can all be monitored via the unique phs Besafe online portal which allows John Penn to keep track of the account and access management information whenever required.
Benefits
Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd has been able to source all of its protective workwear and laundry services from one supplier, reducing administration time and costs. Laundry deliveries are reliable and made in good time.
Hardwearing and breathable poly-cotton coveralls, trousers and jackets worn to customer sites repel water and staining while providing comfort for its wearers, with articulated elbows and knees for easier movement and knee pockets for the addition of knee pads, if required. Heavy duty stitching and zips provide protection against daily wear and tear. Any issues with fitting, repairs or any other aspect of the phs Besafe service can be swiftly remedied via the online portal or with one call to Meyn’s dedicated point of contact.
Engineers in the workshop benefit from flame-retardant coveralls which protect against spatters of molten metal and radiant heat encountered during welding, in line with EN standard 11611.
The specialist washing and drying processes used by phs Besafe at its regional laundries use detergents to limit skin irritation for wearers, and low temperatures which are both kind to the protective fabrics and gentler on the environment.
The streamlined laundry process provides additional peace of mind: barcoded garments are scanned on collection from the Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd site; individual items are scanned again at the laundry and inspected for damage; washing, drying and repairs are completed, and the garments are once again scanned when delivered back to lockers at Meyn. This ensures a record of washing schedules and repairs, as well as complete traceability of all workwear, reducing the incidence of misplaced garments.
Quote
John Penn, Field Service Engineer at Meyn Poultry Equipment Ltd: “The service from phs Besafe has been great, on the whole. From the sales and specification process to the ongoing admin, we’ve been highly satisfied. It’s great to be able to source all of our protective garments from one supplier, with the confidence that they’ll be returned from the laundry clean and on time. Any small issues we’ve had have been addressed straight away. We know that the workwear must be doing a good job because we haven’t had any complaints from our staff!”