Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries

Figure 42 Compressed-air
vacuum device for cleaning
out rubber dust.
(See also Figure 68)
Health and Safety
Executive
Exposure to solvent fume from cleaning and rubber solutions
n Where small quantities are applied by brush, you can generally achieve
adequate control by good standards of general ventilation in the working area.
If solvent is sprayed, local exhaust ventilation may be required.
n Skin contact with solvents and adhesives should be avoided; nitrile gloves
should be sufficient to provide short-term protection.
Exposure to dust from buffing operations
n Where there is heavy use of buffing equipment, local exhaust ventilation is
preferable – this may be integral to the hand-buffing tool, but more usually a
flexible section of ducting is inserted into the casing close to the area being
buffed.
n Only where this is not reasonably practicable should you rely on using suitable
RPE.
n Abraded dust should not be blown from inside the tyre casing with a
compressed airline as this makes the dust airborne – a vacuum device or
similarly effective work procedure should be used instead (see Figure 42).
n Flying rubber particles present a risk of eye injury and suitable eye protection
should be worn during buffing operations.
168 Assess the extent of
exposure to solvent fume
and rubber dust, together
with the adequacy of
the control measures
on an individual basis,
as required by COSHH.
Where puncture repair
work is intermittent and
of short duration, as at
most MVR facilities, good
standards of general
ventilation should be
adequate.
169 An alternative
method of puncture repair
uses an uncured rubber
patch or plug that is
cured using electrically heated pressure pads. Ensure there is adequate ventilation
to remove any significant rubber fume generated.
170 Increasingly, vehicle manufacturers are supplying post-puncture tyre
sealants as a replacement for spare tyres, and pre-puncture sealants are used in
horticultural applications. Make sure that adequate control measures are in place to
protect against contact with the sealants and inhalation of solvents or propellants.
Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries Page 39 of 101