Purpose of Guide

Piston Power policy is to ensure, as far as is reasonably practical, that all our products are safe
and without risk to health when properly, used for the purpose for which they are intended.
The following measures are a guide to the safe storing and handling of petroleum products. For additional information please refer to the Piston Power Material Safety Data sheets which are available on the website as well as from our regional office.

General Safety Information

Work Place Environmental Precautions
It is essential that in the work place environment provision is made for the worker to practice good standards of personal and industrial hygiene by providing:

Splash guards on machines, face shields, working overalls, impermeable gloves to eliminate all unnecessary contact with oil.
Arrangement for the extraction of fine sprays of oil mist.
Adequate washing facilities, accessible hand basins, supply of soap, towels and cleansers.
First aid advice backed up by adequate medical facilities

Hygiene
Excessive or prolonged skin contact with any mineral oil or synthetic fluid may remove the natural fats from the skin with resultant dryness and subsequent irritation. Lower viscosity products have a greater tendency to cause such effects. Ensure that workers are not at risk they should:

Use oil impermeable gloves. If this is impractical oil repellent barrier creams should be used
Avoid unnecessary contact with oil by using protective clothing and ensuring that machine splash guards is properly adjusted.
Not oily rags or tools into pockets.
Not put dirty rags for wiping oil off the skin.
Remove metal particles and swarf from machines with the implements provided.
Wash regularly to remove oil from skin, especially before meals, before using the toilet and after work. They should use soap or special cleaners. Solvents such as kerosene, gasoline, etc should not be used to remove oil from skin.
Not wear oil soaked clothing.

Storage Precautions
Keep away from children and do not store in open and unlabelled containers.
If adequately protected from extreme low temperatures and from the ingress of water, lubricating oils are generally unaffected by climatic conditions...

If drums are stored outside then the optimum means of storing unopened drums is considered to be vertically on pallets with bungs facing downwards... Alternatively, horizontal storage in properly designed racks can be used.

Avoid exposure of drums to strong sunlight. Preferably drums should be stored in a shaded area. The following material should never be stored outside:

  • Transformer Oil
  • Refrigeration Oil
  • White and Medicinal oils
  • Greases

Disposal of Lubricants

Spillage
Absorb on sand or biatomaceous earth and dispose off according to local regulations. In the event of large spills, precautions should be taken to prevent pollution of drainage systems, rivers and waterways or any other damage to the environment.

Disposal of Packages
Used packages should be disposed off safely, preferably to recognized drum dealers/renovators.

Disposal of Waste Oil
Used oil should be disposed off in accordance with local and national regulations. Use oil should never be disposed of into drainage or sewer systems, rivers, waterways, soil or into the environment in any other manner.
Used oil collection and disposal is coordinated in South Africa by an oil industry organization called the ROSE (Recycled Oil Saves the Environment) Foundation, established in 1994. Arrangement for the collection and disposal of used oil may be made through the ROSE Foundation. Details are available from your regional office.

First Aid Advice

Ingestion
Do not induce vomiting
Give 250ml of milk to drink or if milk is not available, give water. Preferably the drink should contain activated charcoal where this is available. Unconscious persons should get immediate medical attention or sent to hospital.

Inhalation
Remove to fresh air. If breathing stops give artificial respiration and obtain medical attention immediately.

Eye Contact
Flush with copious amounts of water for at least 10 minutes. If irritation persists medical attention should be sought.

Skin Contact
Wash with soap and water. Obtain medical attention if irritation persists.