How to safely handle oil?

[YMMB-AME]

long time reader been lurking for some time now.. Gday

I have started my new apprenticeship as an aircraft engineer at moorabin and have started at the bottom of the foodchain as many a apprentice do. Basically my duties over the last few weeks have been simply cleaning aircraft with radial engines. As many would know these have cylinders which are actually upside down and disperse plenty of used oil blanketting the fuselage and underbelly section witbeh a film of oil. Perhaps 3 hours of every day is spent wiping oil from these surfaces and thus i have a concern about being in contact with what is acknowledged as a 'known carcinogen'. The protective gear i am currently using is simply gloves, however it is near impossible to avoid skin contact with the substance. At the end of the day my lungs have a heavy, polluted feeling and I am quite concerned, i am unsure whether it is safe to breathe around used oil for such extended periods of time.

I thought i would post this up on this forum, as no doubt there are many of you who work around cars (and oil) as part of your daily jobs, and would would like to know the precautionary measures that you lot use when dealing with oil.

Maybe im paranoid, maybe im not. However having lost one family member already to cancer, i dont want to take ANY risks.

Thanks For your help.

AME

[Commydoor]

im 50 and been in contact with oil on and off all my life (ex mechanic as well) and im still alive and touch wood dont have cancer...my mother never drank, swore, smoked or had anything to do with oil and she died of cancer...if your gonna get it your gonna get it if your worried about it give up the job or get a respirator...

[DavoVP]

Just don't drink it you'll be fine.

If your greatest concern is inhalation ask to be provided a respirator and buy one.

Ive been covered from head to toe in it before and I'm still here and kicking, Joys of working on cars, it gets everywhere.

[Maxxiz]

Yeah like above respirator. I work at a servo and a drycleaner, so i'd be pretty farked too. Drycleaning fumes are highly toxic, likewise with prolonged petrol fumes.

[GenReaper]

You could wear a Bio Suit.

In all honesty mate, i myself have been cover in the stuff for years, all over my head, face arms, even spilt it on my pants.
Never had any dramas.
I know mechanics that are 65 years old, still fit as a fiddle.
Prevention is the best cure but i would worry too much.

Get some barrier cream and apply it to yourself where you get messy.
As for breathing it in, never heard of any dramas myself.

[thewheeldeal com au]

If you are genuinely concerned I would get in contact with your OH&S rep..perhaps they can answer the questions better than most and if not I'm sure they could forward you to someone who could...

What you need though is the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the product you are in contact with. In fact - if you are in contact with it regularly then your OH&S department must have it on file and available to you at all times. See if you can grab a copy and have a read to set your mind at ease.

If they can't help you could perhaps google it - as I did a while back, after my old man was melting used tyre lead to make sinkers and dive weights in an enclosed environment.

Last resort maybe to call the poisons helpline.

Like most mechanical trades, I have had heaps of contact with oils, grease, ATF, hell I've even had brake fluid in my eyes and I'm still fine. It's up to you though to feel comfortable with your own workplace safety and that starts with your OH&S rep if you have one.

[nathanVY]

+1 for MSDS & OHS Reps. Know your rights in the work place because the employers will not always be looking out for you. If it's not safe DON'T DO IT. Not worth the risk.

[crazyspoon05]

IIRC crude oil is the 'danger' one

Once it's refined it's pretty safe (although as mentioned above just don't drink it)

Some people may develop skin problems, etc from prolonged contact but the risk of serious health problems is minute

[delcowizzid]

you have picked the wrong trade to be worried about a little oil LOL.when i worked full time i went home with oil from asshole to breakfast and i still get like that on a regular basis LOL.still kicking no cancer

[Sabbath']

You'll be right.

You're over thinking it, get some oil on you, wipe it off. It isnt acid and isnt going to eat through your skin.

[flyjoe180]

To what type of aeroplane are these radials attached? Just curious.

[Swordsy]

Check the MSDS for it, that will help you find out if you need to look into more safety gear.

Just a quick search of the shell aviation website and without knowing what oils radials use, randomly selected a piston aviation oil MSDS as an example

http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GSAP_msds_00058861.PDF

Find out what you're using at work and do a quick search on the net, if you can't find it, call the supplier and they should have on or be able to source it for you.

Just a bit of an extract out of the one linked above

4. FIRST AID MEASURES
General Information : Not expected to be a health hazard when used under normal conditions.
Inhalation : No treatment necessary under normal conditions of use. If symptoms persist, obtain medical advice.
Skin Contact : Remove contaminated clothing. Flush exposed area with water and follow by washing with soap if available. If persistent irritation occurs, obtain medical attention.
Eye Contact : Flush eye with copious quantities of water. If persistent irritation occurs, obtain medical attention.
Ingestion : In general no treatment is necessary unless large quantities are swallowed, however, get medical advice.
Advice to Physician : Treat symptomatically.

Highly refined mineral oils are not classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

[cracker]

think whats in used engine oil, tiny metal particals, petrol, carbon etc
your skin isnt sealed, its a semi permimable membrane stuff you get on your skin is absorbed by your body.
you may find youll develop exmha, i had it as a kid and it reemerged as an adult after working part time and an autotranssmission place, handling lots of oils, kerosine etc all the good stuff.

there are warnings on at least some engine oils saying dont not get in contact with skin

in the long run its never going to do you any favors at all. avoid it the best you can

[coolvxss]

what doesnt give you cancer these days haha. i wouldnt worry about it. If you do worry about it, maybe you should get a desk job. But then you could prob get cancer from staring at computer or something haha.

[Swordsy]

what doesnt give you cancer these days haha. i wouldnt worry about it. If you do worry about it, maybe you should get a desk job. But then you could prob get cancer from staring at computer or something haha.

Nah, it just sends ya blind