What to Look for in a Crossover Platform

Sometimes you need to traverse a river or street, and other times, you just need to cross a busy work area in a warehouse. Whatever the obstacle is in your workplace, a crossover platform is a handy tool that can help you move from one place to another safely. However, not all cross platforms are created equal. To help you find the best platform for your needs, we’ve compiled this list of what to look for in a crossover platform for a busy processing facility.

What to Look for in a Crossover Platform

Sanitation Features

As with all food processing equipment, a crossover platform should be made out of high-quality stainless steel, such as T-304. Even though your product shouldn’t come into direct contact with a crossover platform, it’s crucial to keep a clean platform for sanitation and safety reasons. A dirty platform can shed debris from shoes onto the facility floor – or worse, onto a piece of food processing equipment. Grime and grease on handrails or the surface of a platform also pose a safety threat to employees. Stainless steel is easy to clean and can withstand hot water and most cleaning agents. Plus, EnSight crossovers have an easy-to-clean glass bead finish and continuous welds. With regular washing, bacteria won’t have any place to hide.

Look for a crossover platform with a shield to keep debris from falling off and soiling the floor. This feature doubles as a safety railing to protect your operators from a fall. In addition, handrails are a must. The standard EnSight crossover comes with square handrails, but we can swap it out for round railing upon request. Ladders are an optional safety feature; they can come in handy during an emergency evacuation.

Various Decking Options

When it comes to decking options, there isn’t one material that trumps all other options. The best decking material for a crossover platform will vary depending on the facility. At EnSight Solutions, we work with SlipNOT for our decking options. Here are a few of the common types of decking:

• Grating is a safe, durable, and functional product for most environments. The texture of grating can prevent a fall by providing traction for employees.
• Flattened expanded metal has the same anti-slip properties as grating, but this material is ideal for applying over an existing surface since it is flatter than grating.
• Plated stair treads are perfect to cover slippery stairs on crossover platforms.

USDA and OSHA Standards

Although you might not think of a crossover platform as a piece of food processing equipment, it is still important that you uphold the same standards for a crossover as you would for a tenderizer or blender. If a crossover doesn’t meet USDA standards, it shouldn’t meet your standards. Luckily, the USDA has done all of the quality research for you, and a manufacturer must disclose whether or not their products meet USDA standards.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards are also very important when it comes to work platforms like crossovers. OSHA sets safety standards for equipment that transports employees.

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This is just an overview of what to look for in a crossover platform. If you’re looking for case-specific advice, contact EnSight Solutions. With more than 100 years of combined experience in the food processing industry, we are committed to finding creative, effectual solutions for our clients’ equipment needs. Our crossover platforms are USDA and OSHA approved, and we offer a variety of decking options. When you’re ready to get started, please send an e-mail to info@ensightsolutions.us, give us a call at 1-855-736-2195, or find your EnSight sales specialist through our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you!