Mist collector technical information　1-5. Cutting oil and work environment

This section describes the health impact due to cutting oil scattering and how to suppress scattering.

(1) Effects of oil scattering on health

Oil scattering worsens the work environment

Cutting oils have a significant impact on the work environment. When oil mist scatters during cutting etc., it not only dirties the floor and walls etc., but the health of people handling the oil and those performing the machining are also affected by contact with the oil.

In addition, the possibility of carcinogenesis caused by substances contained in cutting oils, and the possibility of dioxins generated by the combustion of chlorine when machining with chlorine-based cutting oils resulting in health problems also cannot be denied.

Preventing adhesion on skin

When cutting oil adheres to the skin, while there may be individual differences, the skin may develop a rash due to irritation by the oil or removal of the oil in the skin by the surfactant. Besides exposed skin, the oil will soak work clothes and other clothing, and contact between the clothes and skin may also occur.
As a preventive measure, wear gloves, masks, hats, etc., to reduce skin exposure as much as possible. It is also effective to wash your hands and face thoroughly with a non-irritating soap and apply protective cream on them before and after the work. When it comes to clothes, be sure to wash them every day and always put on clean ones. Be sure to also wear underwear etc. so that your skin does not come into direct contact with the work clothes.
In addition, if the cutting oil is degraded or spoiled, it becomes more irritating, so be careful how you manage the cutting oil too.

Protecting your eyes from oil scattering

If scattered cutting oil enters your eyes, they can become inflamed just like your skin. As a preventive measure, always protect your eyes with protective goggles during machining. Also, if cutting oil gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately with water.
Caution is required because the scattered cutting oil may also contain fine chips.

Preventing odors and inhalation

When scattered cutting oil is inhaled, the odor may make you feel sick or give you a headache. Inhalation may also cause inflammation in the nose and throat. In order to prevent these, it is effective to wear a mask at the work site.




 

(2) How to suppress the scattering of cutting oil

１． Suppress the scattering itself

In order to improve the working environment, it is necessary to first suppress the scattering of cutting oils and the generation of oil fumes. As countermeasures, first consider ways to mitigate the cutting conditions by reviewing the type of oil used (e.g. by adding an agent to increase viscosity or suppress mist) or the amount supplied. It is also necessary to cover the entire machine or the processing points of the machine.

2. Recover scattered oils

Even if a variety of suppression measures can be implemented to suppress the amount of oil scattered, this cannot be totally eliminated. In other words, the oil needs to be recovered. One way to collect the oil is to install a duct or a mist collector in the machine, or a combination of both of these.
A mist collector installed in a fully-covered machine sucks in the oil mist scattered inside the machine and turns the inside of the machine into a negative pressure to prevent it from leaking out to the outside. Inside the mist collector, the oil mist is separated from the suction air to clean the air first before it is discharged.

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