The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has issued a new safety standard for floor machines.
The new standard deals with the safety of powered automatic floor treatment machines intended for indoor commercial use applications including sweeping, scrubbing, shampooing, polishing, and waxing.
It notes that automatic floor treatment machines covered by this standard are designed to avoid hazardous contact with persons in the environment in which they are applied. It adds that it is recognized that automatic floor treatment machines for commercial use might require operation within close proximity to large groups of people, such as in shopping malls and schools.
The uptake in the use of automatic floor scrubbers has increased across numerous sectors in recent years as facility managers look for more effective and efficient ways to ensure cleanliness. That market expansion is thought to have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new report recently suggested that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 8 per cent between 2020−2026, driven by growing demand for cleaning technologies, a greater inclination toward sustainability, and a rising call for cleanliness in industries like hospitality. Automatic or autonomous floor scrubbers are leading the way as the fastest-growing category in the mobile robot market between 2020 and 2030.
IEC also covers the internationally accepted level of protection against hazards such as electrical, mechanical, thermal, fire, and radiation when operated in normal conditions in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions.
