The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning businesses to ensure their staff are safe when working with metalworking fluids or coolants in its new campaign.
Exposure to metalworking fluids – also referred to as ‘white water’ – can cause harm to lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin.
Breathing in the mist generated by computer numerical control (CNC) machines can lead to lung diseases such as occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
In its Machinists and metalworking fluid – Work Right to keep Britain safe campaign, the HSE is saying that manufacturing businesses should implement control measures and carry out health surveillance checks with occupational health professionals.
To support the campaign, the HSE will carry out unannounced inspections between now and March 2024 to look at how employers are ensuring workers are protected from exposure to fluid or mist generated by CNC machines across the UK.
To reduce exposure, the HSE says that local exhaust ventilation (LEV) should be fitted on CNC machines to carry away any harmful metalworking fluid mist, which is difficult to see in normal lighting.
Moreover, fluid quality should be regularly checked, focusing on concentration, pH, bacteria and contaminants.
Where there is exposure to fluid or mist, it is a legal requirement to carry out health surveillance even when preventative controls are in place. Firms will need to involve an occupational health professional and workers should be encouraged to report any health symptoms that occur.
HSE inspector Fiona McGarry, said: “Lung problems and irritated skin don’t have to be associated with working with metalworking fluid if you take the right precautions.
“It is really important that control measures and fluid quality checks are in place to keep workers healthy. Health checks are essential to identify signs of ill-health early.”
