INDUSTRIAL CLEANING & CONFINED SPACE CLEANING
Forged Solutions - Blaenavon, Pontypool, NP4
Client's Challenge
Doncasters (Blaenavon) / Forged Solutions Group required a specialist industrial cleaning contractor to undertake deep cleaning works within their machinery mill and pit basement areas at their Blaenavon forging facility.
The 125-tonne mill and associated pit and basement areas had accumulated heavy grease, oil, slag, swarf and embedded contamination across both above-ground and below-ground zones. This build-up affected housekeeping standards, safe access for maintenance teams and overall operational efficiency.
The works involved confined space cleaning within pit and basement areas where access was restricted and strict safety controls were required. Due to the live manufacturing environment, the cleaning programme also needed to be delivered within a restricted shutdown window to minimise disruption and allow machinery to be returned to service as quickly as possible.
Assessment & Planning
APT ICC carried out a structured assessment to determine the safest and most effective cleaning approach.
The assessment focused on:
• Level and type of grease, oil and contamination on the 125-tonne mill
• Condition of pit and basement areas requiring confined space entry
• Access constraints and confined space safety requirements
• Protection of motors and sensitive machine components
• Appropriate degreasing and steam-based cleaning methods
• Programme sequencing to meet production restart requirements
A tailored cleaning plan was developed to ensure works were delivered safely, efficiently and within the limited shutdown timeframe.
Methodology
The industrial cleaning works were delivered using a controlled, phased approach:
1. Controlled access and confined space preparation
Specialist operatives were mobilised with full PPE and confined space controls to allow safe access to pit and basement areas.
2. Manual contamination removal
Heavy grease, oil, slag, swarf and debris were manually removed from machinery, floors and pit areas prior to further cleaning stages.
3. Machine cleaning and degreasing
The 125-tonne mill and associated equipment were degreased and cleaned using specialist APT ICC products, with critical components protected throughout.
4. Super-heated steam cleaning
Super-heated steam cleaning was used to assist in breaking down heavy grease and embedded contamination in difficult-to-reach areas while minimising moisture ingress.
5. Confined space pit and basement clean-down
Pit and basement areas were cleaned to remove remaining contamination, restoring them to a safe and maintainable condition.
Site Access & Logistics
Equipment
• Industrial pressure washing equipment
• Super-heated steam cleaning systems
• Manual cleaning tools for heavy contamination removal
• Full PPE for confined space and industrial works
Chemicals
• UltraMax 2020 – heavy-duty industrial degreaser
• Aximax – industrial cleaner and degreaser
• Citracleanse – citrus-based degreasing cleaner
The Results
• Heavy grease, oil and contamination removed from the 125-tonne mill
• Factory areas cleaned and housekeeping standards improved
• Pit and confined space areas restored to a safe, maintainable condition
• Machinery returned to service without extended downtime
• Workscompleted within the restricted shutdown window
The structured delivery allowed Doncasters / Forged Solutions Group to maintain productivity while significantly improving cleanliness, safety and maintainability within critical production areas.
