In every city around the world, streets and squares are cleaned using sweepers. Italy is a highly varied country morphologically, and in some areas not accessible by mechanical sweepers, the streets and squares are swept by hand using water-jet cleaners.
Water cleaning is an essential method to add to the other routine ones available, especially when it comes to cleaning historically valuable places and removing manure and guano. In old town and city centres, which often feature arched galleries and vaults with internal passages that connect the streets and squares, rain does not arrive and manual intervention is necessary. The same procedure is required to free the streets from leaves and debris and to prevent autumn rains from obstructing the drains and manholes.
Street cleaning is necessary not only to maintain hygiene and decor, but also for safety reasons, because every kind of waste, including natural waste such as leaves, can result in accidental falls. There are several examples of possible perils or pitfalls; the most frequent include:
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slippery or uneven road surfaces;
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interrupted guardrails;
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damaged sidewalks;
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broken or raised drains or manholes;
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unreported or poorly organised construction work;
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faulty traffic lights.
According to art. 14 of the Highway Code, organisations that own streets (and motorways) are required to provide for:
- the maintenance, management and cleaning of the streets, their appurtenant structures and furniture, as well as any equipment, plants and services;
- the technical supervision of the efficiency of the streets and their appurtenances;
- the affixing and maintenance of the required street signs.
Organisations that do not comply with these procedures in case of an accident involving victims may be called upon to respond to the law for manslaughter (applies to persons within the organisation who have an executive or representative role).
Rhino srl is a partner of several such organisations and contributes to the safety of public streets. Its vehicles are designed and patented to remove any kind of dirt, especially extreme dirt caused by oil, grease of all kinds, and inflammable and hazardous liquids such as fuel and acid.