Bring on the water – TÜV SÜD’s tips on high-pressure washers

The days are getting longer and the birds have started chirping again, sure signs that spring is round the corner. With the first rays of sunshine, most of us dig out our bicycles, garden furniture and other hot-weather items to get them ready for the summer. Bringing patios, cars and house façades up to scratch after the winter weather is also a good idea, and using a high-pressure washer is the easiest and best way to do so. TÜV SÜD’s product experts have some tips for buying and using this type of cleaning equipment.

What models are available?

There are various categories of high-pressure washers on the market. Buyers should make their choice depending on their future areas of application and frequency of use. Standard high-pressure washers use water from the domestic water supply system. However, there are also high-pressure washers that can be operated with service water from water reservoirs, such as rainwater tanks – an advantage at locations without domestic water supply systems and a very environmentally-friendly solution, as it saves on drinking water. The cleaning performance depends on the water pressure and amount of water used. Persistent soiling can be removed more easily if water volume and water pressure are carefully aligned to each other. As a matter of principle, high-pressure washers should have a capacity of 6 to 10 l / min. The service pressure should be at least 100 bar, corresponding to a motor capacity of around 1.5 to 1.6 kW. High-pressure washers with these specifications are adequate for normal household use. Another important factor is the length of the hose. The longer the hose, the greater the area that can be cleaned.

Low-price high-pressure washers often include a large number of parts made of plastics, including the pump and the connections. Brass would give a significantly longer service life. Professional high-pressure washers mostly have stainless steel components, but are too expensive for normal household use. Non-pros often find it impossible to check up on these characteristics in a fully assembled high-pressure cleaner. One possible solution is to carefully read the product description or ask the manufacturer.

What accessories are available for high-pressure washers?

Many high-pressure washers offer smart solutions for stowing hoses, power cords, cleaning detergents or other accessories. Buyers looking for an even more convenient solution can buy a cleaner with a hose drum. The same goes for the power cord – some high-pressure washers even offer automatic cord winders. Most low-end devices do not have solutions for stowing accessories. However, this is not really necessary for high-pressure washers that are used only occasionally. Some manufacturers offer accessories such as flat-surface cleaners for patios or façades, pipe cleaners and rotor nozzles. The latter produces a rotating pencil jet, and thus combines the characteristics of a hard pencil jet with the benefits of easier cleaning of a large area.

Car cleaning with a high-pressure washer – recommended with reservations?
High-pressure washers are real all-rounders; bicycles, garden furniture, fences, vehicles, swimming pools, patios, building façades and many other items can be cleaned with water under high pressure. However, before going on a cleaning spree, buyers should read and heed the instruction manual that comes with the device. It is recommended to always use outdoor plug sockets, as these are connected to residual current devices that reduce the risk of an accident. When starting the cleaning process, first carefully direct the high-pressure jet at the soiled area from a considerable distance away, to check the surface is suitable for high-pressure cleaning. Never aim the jet stream at people, animals or the equipment itself. If a defect occurs during use, immediately switch off the cleaner, pull the plug and contact customer service or an electrician.

Car tyres should never be cleaned with a high-pressure washer. In fact, cleaning cars on your own home ground is not such a good idea at all as a matter of principle. Many districts have banned car-washing by residents at home for environmental reasons, to prevent water pollution from the runoff, and may impose punishment in the shape of a fine even if the car is only hosed down with water.

TÜV SÜD explains process maturity according to the new ISO 9001

The final version of the revised standard for quality management systems is scheduled for release by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) in autumn 2015. Many organisations have already started to address the expected changes, which are aimed at strengthening the benefits of quality management. To optimise their own processes they need to determine their status quo and identify approaches for introducing improvement. TÜV SÜD's experts provide information about how organisations can identify the maturity of their processes and initiate changes.
 

The revised ISO 9001 offers more flexibility regarding process documentation as a part of the management system. This applies to the documentation of management, strategy and core processes as well as support processes such as maintenance and qualification of persons. For very simple processes, for example, clear verbal instructions in conjunction with training material may be sufficient. Generally, however, traceable documentation in forms such as a checklist or an electronic workflow will be required to provide guidance for various work steps. To safeguard a high level of process quality, the new ISO 9001 includes an ambitious eight-step definition of the expected degree of process maturity. The relevant quality characteristics should be available and effective at each of these eight steps to ensure that organisations implement the standard successfully and realise the benefits offered by the new standard.  

 

"At steps one and two, organisations define the inputs required and the outputs expected from their processes and the sequence and interactions of these processes in a form such as a process map or individual process sheets," says Ulrich Wegner, Head of the Certification Body of TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH.

"At step 3, the organisation also review the responsibilities and authorities for these processes, using tools like responsibility matrices." Once this is completed, at step four organisations are expected to identify the technological and human resources needed. "Important aspects in this context include personnel and investment planning to respond appropriately to cases such as evident fluctuations or planned market expansion", adds Wegner.

At step five of process maturity, the focus is on risk-based thinking. To this end, organisations verify that they have identified all risks relevant for the key processes. Beyond the financial risks already analysed by many companies, there are other risks including the availability of expertise among knowledge owners and specialists, or market risks caused by innovative competitors. A quality management system according to the new ISO standard identifies these risks in direct association with the processes established by an organisation. While the old ISO 9001 focused predominantly on the avoidance of risks through appropriate preventive actions, the revised version also considers chances. To identify these chances, the detail-oriented process focus should be expanded to view the whole picture, particularly including customers' expectations and the context of the organisation.

 

Effective process operation and control are ensured at step six. This requires organisations to have either clear instructions for simple tasks in the service sector or process-integrated solutions, e.g. an ERP system, for complex production operations. Depending on the complexity involved, this step requires fast feedback or control loops and adequate communication. At step seven, the processes are evaluated with the help of appropriate monitoring and measurement methods. These are required in cases in which technical or personnel risks or instabilities were identified and, in particular, in cases involving risks related to customer requirements. Checking at an early stage for possible signs of non-conformities with the target is recommended. After all, a high level of accuracy in measurement results is of little use if the results are available too late. At step 8, the data gained from process evaluation enable management to make a robust decision regarding the necessary improvement actions. As outlined above, the process approach of the new ISO 9001 ensures a high level of transparency and thus supports organisations in the targeted triggering and driving of the improvement process.

 

Further information can be found at www.tuev-sued.de/management-systeme/iso-9001.

RF & Wireless Forum

TÜV SÜD are exhibiting at the RF & Wireless Forum in Cambridge on 24th March, where we will be showcasing our extensive testing and certification services for the telecoms industry.

 

This one day forum is free of charge and focuses on high growth technologies and markets. The day will consist of a series of short technical presentations and workshops supported by a networking and desktop presentations area with key industry speakers.

To read more click here.