How to store and handle your lubricants

1.
Respect the weather

A drum of lubricating oil may seem robust, and it certainly is, but you should never underestimate the forces of nature. Water in particular can pose a serious threat to your lubricating oils, because water in the drums equals a contaminated product. And a contaminated lubricant is useless. It is therefore important to keep your drums under cover, so that water does not collect on top and find its way into the drum.

2.
Water is the biggest threat

The reason we focus so much on water is that, here in Denmark, we get a lot of rain, and that the problems can be avoided relatively easily.

If it is not possible to store the drums indoors or under shelter, you should consider other ways to protect them. It can be a good idea, for example, to place the drums on pallets, so they are protected from dirt and water from the ground. This avoids possible sources of contamination that can cause problems both for the drum itself and for the drums standing nearby when the drum is moved.

Another precaution is to store the drums at an angle, for example using wedges or other aids, so that any water can run off the top of the drum.

3.
Dust and dirt ruin lubricants

Water is bad enough, but dust and dirt are at least as bad. While contaminated oil can in some cases be filtered, it is far more final once dust or dirt gets into your lubricants. Lubricating grease cannot be cleaned, so contamination means the product has to be discarded as waste oil. That is why it is essential to close opened packaging properly after use.

4.
Make cleaning a priority

As we mentioned in connection with storing drums on pallets, there are many ways a drum can get dirty, both during storage and during transport. You should therefore always make sure the area around the opening of the container is clean, so that foreign particles do not fall into the lubricant and ruin it.

The same applies to the filling point, where the opening and the area around it can also be dirty, as well as to the tools used for filling, such as grease nipples, grease guns and the like. Dust and dirt have a way of "appearing out of nowhere", so always check that your tools are clean before use.

5.
One lubricant per can

No, lubricants and oils are not all the same, so you should always have a dedicated can for each specific lubricant. And while you are doing things properly, it is a good idea to use filters that can remove any unwanted particles that may have found their way into the can before they cause trouble in the system.

6.
Keep track of your lubricating oils and greases

When production is running and things are busy, it can, hand on heart, all move so fast that you lose track. And then there is a risk of using the wrong oil or grease. This risk can be reduced with a labelling system that helps you keep track of your oils and greases. Read more about this in our article How to reduce faults and downtime in your production.

Store your lubricants by production date and use the first in, first out principle, and dispose of expired lubricants. You can check the shelf life of a given product on its product data sheet.

7.
Checks and due care always pay off

It almost goes without saying, but there is no doubt that spending time and energy on handling your lubricants correctly and safely is good business. One thing is that the drum of lubricant itself can become contaminated and have to be scrapped. A far bigger problem is when the contaminated lubricant gets into your system or machine and causes damage. That can be very costly and a lot of trouble, both in terms of damaged equipment and downtime.

8.
Check the local regulations

It is important for us to point out that you should always make sure you comply with the local regulations for storing lubricants. Your local authority is likely to have information about the rules, and if you are in any doubt, you should contact its technical department.