How are clean and dirty thermal-container areas separated?

Two coloured floor lines are not real separation when container and worker flows cross. Separation is a one-way work sequence.

9 July 2026Updated 28 September 2026

Short answer

Dirty containers flow along a one-way line: dirty entry, precheck, washing, drying, acceptance, clean holding. No point is left where the flow doubles back, unavoidable crossings are controlled by time or barrier, and dirty equipment is never routed through the clean zone. A floor line alone does not separate anything.

Two coloured floor lines do not separate anything when container and worker paths cross. The direction must be single: dirty entry, precheck, washing, drying, acceptance, clean holding; no point where the flow doubles back is left.

When dirty containers, waste, wash equipment and clean accessories share a passage, recontamination follows. Unavoidable crossings are controlled by time or barrier, dirty equipment is not routed through the clean zone to shorten the path, and status labels let a container's state be read from a distance.

The Codex code for transporting food (CAC/RCP 47-2001) asks for cleanable design, cleaning and disinfection between loads, and records of both; GEBHARDT presents the Isotec TBX as an easy-to-clean container.