Due to market requirements as well as against the background of the CLP Regulation, REACH and biocide regulations, over the last years, Oemeta expanded its portfolio with biocide-free products. By using biocide-free cooling lubricants, current requirements concerning occupational safety should be considered.
Within the context of occupational safety, the hazard potential of germ growth has to be evaluated when carrying out a hazard analysis at the customer site. (See DGUV 209-051 as well as Section 3, Paragraph (1) BioStoffV; regulation of German Social Accident Insurance).
In relation to biocide-free cooling lubricants, the following question might occur:
Compared to biocide-containing cooling lubricants, is there an increased potential in the development of pathogenic germs, which belong to risk groups 3 and 4 according to ‘BioStoffV’, in biocide-free cooling lubricants?
In order to answer this question, in cooperation with the renowned Institute for Hospital and Environment Hygiene of the University Medical Center in Kiel (UKSH), Germany, a comparative study of biocide-free and biocide-containing cooling lubricants was executed.
Against the background of a hazard analysis, the conclusion of the final report is as follows:
Micro-organisms, which belong to risk groups 1 and 2 according to TRBA 466, were detected in biocide-containing as well as in biocide-free cooling lubricants [...]. The detected micro-organisms are environmental flora, mainly so-called ‘humidity loving bacteria’, which are often detected in water-bearing systems. […]
The report states, that regarding the risk groups of the identified micro-organisms, there is no higher hazard potential when using biocide-free cooling lubricants compared to biocide-containing cooling lubricants. In both cases, it is ubiquitous (widely spread) environmental flora with so-called ‘humidity loving bacteria’, which can be assigned to risk groups 1 and 2. Thus, also for biocide-free cooling lubricants the following is indiscriminately valid: Activities with microbially colonized water-miscible cooling lubricants are non-targeted activities with biomaterials without assignment to protection levels (DGUV 209-051).
This implies for the user, that biocide-free cooling lubricants do not provide any disadvantages regarding the hazard of germ growth but improve occupational safety due to their human compatibility.
Risk analysis of microbiology in coolants
Biocide free vs. biocide-containing coolants