STORAGE & HANDLING OF LUBRICANTS

A planned storage and handling system will ensure the following advantages:

• Guarantees proper product quality
• Eliminates product contamination
• Eliminates chances of use of incorrect grades and mixing up of products
• Reduced leakage and other losses The ideal system would be to store all the lubricants in a store house which would be
• Easily accessible
• Well ventilated & well lighted
• Spacious
• Away from heat sources
• Well protected from rains All these conditions are not possible to be fulfilled every time. At time, the lubricants are stored outdoors in open space. The outdoor storage of lubricants would lead to the following undesirable effects.
• Brand names may get obliterated thereby increasing chances of mix-up of products
• Drums may get rusted eventually resulting in leakages
• Drums are more prone to contamination with atmospheric dirt, dust, moisture etc. In order to reduce these possibilities during storage in open space, the following precautions are suggested:
• The drums should be stored on their sides on a cemented clean floor area giving a slight slope for evacuation of water. Alternatively the drums may be kept On Wooden Planks.
• The drums should be kept in such a position that the two bung holes come in a line with the horizontal the 3'O Clock 9'O Clock position. This would avoid the chances of contamination of oil with atmospheric moisture due to the phenomenon of "Breathing in" of the drums.
• Drums should be covered with tarpaulin
• In case the drums are required to be stored in a limited floor space they can be stacked in tiers with wooden battens between the layers. However, for safety purposes the layers should be limited to two or three only.
• Wooden ramps should be used for removing drums from upper layer. Used tyres should be placed before dropping, them to the grounds.
• Due precautions should be taken against fire hazards.
• Segregate the lubricant storage area by a suitable fencing.

Lubricants can be stored in a way mentioned below for better results:

• Sealed drums should be kept grade wise separately
• Keep sufficient space between rows and rums for easy movement
• Keep grease drums standing upright to avoid spillage
• Move out drums on FIRST IN FIRST OUT basis Proper handling and dispensing of lubricants is equally important as proper storage.

HANDLING

It is preferable to use fork lifts or chain hoists for stacking drums in store or moving out drums from stores to the departments or sections. If this is not possible tyres or wooden planks should be used while unloading the drums. Trolleys may be used for transporting drums instead of rolling them.

DISPENSING OF LUBRICANTS

The dispensing system for a plant layout involving long distances between store house and different sections requires proper planning to ensure quick and better transportation. A few guidelines as given below would be of help to achieve this very easily.

• Where consumption of a particular grade is more than a drum at a time or is consistently enough, it is preferable to issue drums to the sections and make temporary arrangements of dispensing in the section itself to avoid frequent transportation.
• Barrel pumps may be fitted to the drums for quick dispensing without spillage
• Alternatively the drums in use in the storehouse may be kept on their sides on cemented ramps or wooden racks. Faucets or brass taps which can be easily screwed in to the bung holes should be fitted to the drum for easy withdrawal of oils
• M.S trays should be kept below each faucet to collect spillage, if any
• A colour code scheme may be suitably designed to remove the chances of incorrect issues of lubricants
• For transportation of oils or greases from storehouse to different sections, use container with tight fitting lids. Avoid using galvanised iron containers or buckets or open containers
• Withdrawal of grease by hand or with wooden sticks should not be encouraged. Metallic paddles should be used for this purpose. Use separate paddle for each grade of greases.
• Grease drums should be issued strictly on "FIRST IN FIRST OUT" basis
• As far as possible product should be used up within a year of manufacture