03/10/2025

How To Reduce Slips, Trips & Falls Due To Incorrect Hose Storage

Are you concerned for your hygiene operators’ safety purely out of convenience or because you genuinely believe they are the unsung heroes behind the scenes?

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It’s important to highlight that in the food industry, one mistake, one slip, one out of norm operation was done, your entire business is in jeopardy. In most cases, your factories are not compliant and do not meet the highest standards of hygiene because of poor quality of equipment, a lack of knowledge on the best practices in food safety and hygiene and not equipping your heroes with the best accessories and equipment needed to perfect your cleaning cycles.

In this guide, we highlight a very critical and important issue that goes even beyond your operator’s safety, it is one of the essences of food hygiene.

Here is how to reduce slips, trips & falls due to incorrect hose storage:

1. Common Issues With Hose Storage

Hoses are a crucial part of the cleaning process and storing them is not just linked to organisation; it is considered a complete hygiene hazard if not done correctly. Hoses left on the side of the floor in factories across walkways, tangled hoses that block access, hoses stored too close to water puddles or equipment, lack of proper reels and wall mounts, manual coiling that takes time, effort and is rarely done correctly… does all this sound familiar?

These not only cause slips and falls but are also physically demanding on your hygiene operators to go through, making their work environment hazardous, risky and overall, too much to bear.

2. The Dos and Don’ts On Hose Storage

Do (best practice)	Don’t (common mistakes)
Use hose reels or wall mounts at every cleaning station to keep hoses off the ground	Leave hoses lying across walkways or in areas of high foot traffic
Retract or store hoses immediately after use to maintain clear walkways	Rely on manual retracting alone. Its time consuming and rarely done properly
Train your hygiene teams on proper hose handling and storage procedures	Store hoses near puddles or heavy machinery where they can become contaminated (risk cross contamination while cleaning) or damaged
Inspect hoses and reels regularly for damage, leaks, or wear that could create hazards	Ignore signs of wear (cracked or twisted hoses are both unsafe and highly unhygienic)
Position storage systems ergonomically (correct height, accessibility) to reduce operator strain

3. Solutions To Maintain A Safe, Clean & Enjoyable Workplace
Foodclean offers a solution to every problem you might face in this industry. Our Nita range was created with cutting-edge solutions designed to make your cleaning processes safer, more practical, and more compliant with the highest hygiene standards.
Tip: to maximise the safety of your hygiene team, equip them with our long lasting, highly protective even more chemicals WashGuard vests, trousers and so much more

Nita SC Retractable Hose Reels with Speed Control

Incorrectly stored hoses don’t just clutter the workspace – they create slip hazards, cross-contamination risks, and physical strain for operators who often must bend, pull, or manually retract them after every washdown.

The Nita SC Retractable Hose Reel with Speed Control was designed to eliminate these risks by making hose storage safe, simple, and ergonomic. Instead of dragging hoses by hand, operators can quickly and safely retract them. The built-in Speed Control system adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring hoses rewind at a controlled pace, preventing sudden recoil and reducing risks of accidents or equipment damage.

Its key benefits are:

Keeps hoses off the floor: fewer slips, trips, and cross-contamination risks.
Reduces operator strain by removing the need for manual retraction.
Ensures safe, controlled retraction with the Speed Control system.
Protects both operators and nearby equipment from accidental damage.
Available with ½″ and ⅜″ hoses, up to 15m length, assembled with hose and accessories for quick installation.

Nita Hose Handling Track System

One of the biggest challenges with hoses in food production is that they often end up dragged across floors. Not only does this create slip and trip hazards, but it also spreads dirt, water, and bacteria – making hoses a serious cross-contamination risk. On top of that, operators are forced to pull heavy hoses into position, leading to unnecessary strain and poor posture.

The Nita Hose Handling Track System eliminates these risks by keeping hoses safely always suspended above the production line. Built from durable stainless steel, the system can be installed in straight or curved lengths to suit your layout, ensuring complete hose coverage without ever touching the floor.

Key benefits:

Removes slip and trip hazards by keeping hoses off the ground.
Prevents cross-contamination by avoiding floor contact.
Reduces operator fatigue by eliminating the need to drag hoses.
Supports better posture and safer handling during cleaning.
Customisable lengths and curves to fit any production environment.

Poor hose storage may look like a small issue, but it creates serious risks: slips, trips, falls, operator strain, and even cross-contamination. These silent hazards put both your people and your products in danger – and in the food industry, there is no room for compromise.

By implementing best practices and equipping your hygiene operators with the right hose management systems, you protect their safety, improve workplace ergonomics, and maintain the highest standards of hygiene and compliance.

At Foodclean, we don’t just supply equipment, we deliver complete solutions that transform hose storage from a constant hazard into a reliable part of your hygiene process.

Get in touch with a team of experts for more information on Hose Storage Solutions.

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