Q8Oils is pleased to have made an important contribution to a new guide on good practice for the safe handling of metalworking fluids in the workplace, which was produced by the United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA) in partnership with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
The Good Practice Guidance for Managing Metalworking Fluid has been compiled by UKLA’s Metalworking Fluid Product Stewardship Group, supported by the HSE and other industry experts, with additional advice from experienced workshop managers and medical experts. Stuart Duff, business development manager, and Matt Bloomer, technical services manager, represented Q8Oils as key members of the advisory panel of industry experts set up by the Group to compile the guide.
Stuart Duff comments: “Q8Oils has long been committed to promoting the safe handling and best working practices for all our metal manufacturing products. We were delighted to share with the panel our Q8Oils Engineers Guide on managing metalworking fluids, which provided a strong foundation for developing the new guide, with additional contributions from other panel members. This is an excellent initiative and a great example of industry professionals working together to share knowledge and experience to improve safety for the benefit of end users.”
The new guide is the result of 18 months of in-depth discussions within the advisory panel on every aspect of the safe handling, maintenance and disposal of metalworking fluids. The guidelines apply for all emulsions, including drawing and rolling, as well as neat oils. In addition to practical guidance on safe use, they highlight employers’ responsibilities under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, including the requirement to record details of any fluid checks for 5 years and employee health records for 40 years.
The Good Practice Guidance for managing Metalworking Fluid will be formally launched at MACH 2018 (9-13 April, NEC Birmingham), where Q8Oils representative will be present at the UKLA stand H19-339.
