About oil mist

Machining processes produce many hazardous contaminants that originate from the metalworking fluids. Machinists are usually well aware of the safety hazards associated with operating machines, less known are the health hazards associated with the use of metalworking fluids converting into oil mist or oil.

During milling, turning, grinding and boring (and other metal-cutting machining activities) metalworking fluids form a mist of small droplets or oil mist. The oil mist is suspended in the air and can be inhaled and ingested. When these fluids form into a mist during the machining process the larger droplets can pass through the nose and mouth and on into the lungs. The smaller droplets of the oil mist can stay deep in the lungs. Oil mist can also irritate the eyes and nose and cause skin problems.

Threshold Limit Value (TLV)
Every country has its own TLV value for pollutants such as oil mist that set the standard of the indoor air quality in the plant. The TLV values in the field of oil mist/smoke are given in mg/m3. The measurement is always taken in or near the breathing zone of the operator. This means that the TLV value will give information about how much oil mist/smoke is acceptable for the operator to inhale.

Corporate Limit Value
In many countries the legislations are not up to the international standard or are only recommended levels. Therefore many multinational companies are setting their own limit on air quality in their own Global Production Standards for pollutants such as oil mist. The reason for doing this is to make sure that air quality is kept at the best possible level, making sure that production can follow the quality standards in every country where the company is active.

Short Term Value (STV)
The STV is an accepted short term exposure to the contaminant such as oil mist. Normally contact is allow for periods not exceeding 15 minutes for a maximum of 4 times per day with at least 60 minutes between each exposure. Most countries also have regulations for STV but they are not as well known as the TLV values.

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