Cleaning a neat oil sump

Procedure

• Prepare a permit to work for any cleaning in potentially confined spaces
• Provide equipment to remove and replace sump oils with minimum spillage
• Keep absorbent material to hand in case of spillages
• Never put clean oil in a dirty sump
• Follow your supplier's guidelines as well as this sheet
• Avoid getting oil or cleaning agents on skin
• Provide good facilities for washing and eating/drinking refreshments away from the work activity
• Treat all wastes as 'hazardous waste' for recycling or disposal

Flowchart

• Check your supplier's recommendation for dosage levels and circulation times
• Follow the steps in the flow chart:

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Provide suitable gloves. Use thicker gloves which provide protection from chemical and mechanical hazards, but only when machinery is switched off
• Ensure workers discard gloves that are damaged, and at the end of a cleaning session
• Provide eye protection to EN 166 standard where there is a risk of splashing
• Workers also need overalls
• Ensure contaminated overalls are laundered before re-use
• Provide storage for PPE to prevent damage or contamination when not in use
• "Barrier creams" do not create a barrier but skin creams can help in washing contamination from the skin. Use a moisturising cream each time you wash your hands and use after-work creams to help replace skin oils