Storage And Handling
Proper standards of storage and handling are necessary with all lubricants. Packages should be treated with care at all stages. to prevent both contamination of their contents and damage to the containers.
With regard to Quality Assurance, ATLANTIC GREASE & LUBRICANTS recommend all packed and drummed product should be stored indoors. ideally in conditions of controlled temperature. The most important factors in the storage of lubricants are temperature. shelf life and moisture. Although most lubricants have a long shelf life in good storage conditions. some grades tend to deteriorate if storage conditions /or are affected by extreme and repeated fluctuations of temperature.
Among the products that should always be stored indoors are insulating oils. . automotive brake fluids. refrigeration oils .while oils. greases and any cutting oils that contain fatty components that are likely to solidify and become separated in cold weather.
Packages can be stored in three ways.
- Freely stacked. so that containers rest on other containers .and are piled to height that depends on their stability and the weight that the lower containers can support.
- palatalized ,so that the containers rest on shallow wooden frames
- On racking that is made from angle iron, slotted steel or clamped tubes.
Where outdoor storage is unavoidable. they should preferably be covered but allowed free access to circulating air. they should be checked at fixed intervals for signs of water and leakage. Outdoor storage facilities should not be sited near dusty areas because layer of dust on containers is likely to obliterate markings and contaminate the contents when the bungs are removed. Drums should not be stored in direct contact with the ground . especially not on poorly drained or acidic surfaces .Drums that stand in the open suffer variations of temperature and corresponding variation of internal pressure If the bung seal is not tight, this can lead to “breathing “the entry of air and the accumulation of moisture within the drum.
When packaged lubricants are stored outdoors. the opening and dispensing operations should always take place under cover. and the opened packages should be kept under cover.
if packages of any size are likely to be stored for long periods. they too should be taken from the store on a basis of ‘first in first out ‘in order to ensure a reasonable rotation of stocks.
A separate area should be set aside for dealing with any containers that have become damaged on site or during storage .Spillage from leaking containers can be cleaned up more easily some distance away from the main storage areas.
Good housekeeping and store keeping procedures are likely to be influenced strongly by health and safety regulations. such influences can apply to the choice and the amount of equipment and handling aids. as well as to protective clothing. Customer Store Managers are advised to consult the relevant.Safety and Environment data sheets and to contact ATLANTIC GREASE & LUBRICANTS Technical Helpline.