Metalworking Fluid Should Not Stay on Your Skin

Controls to confirm

• Contain the splash: keep machine enclosures and splashguards effective. Use suitable tools to handle wet parts or swarf; never reach into moving machinery. Follow the approved stopping and isolation procedure before cleaning or clearing a blockage.
• Break the contact: promptly change contaminated clothing and arrange laundering. Wash affected skin with warm water and a mild cleanser, then dry it. Never clean skin with solvents or compressed air. Select fluid-resistant gloves only for tasks without an entanglement risk.
• Act on early signs: report redness, itching, cracking or soreness promptly and follow occupational health advice. Participate in skin checks where required by the exposure assessment. Report leaks and poor fluid condition; leave fluid adjustment to trained, authorised personnel.

Today’s action

Check one machining station: verify splash control, clean replacement clothing, washing facilities and the route for reporting skin symptoms before starting.

Source guidance

Authoritative guidance checked 6 November 2026. Apply the legal requirements and approved procedures for your location.

• HSE — MW2: Control of skin risks during machining, hygiene and protective clothing
• HSE — Metalworking fluids: dermatitis symptoms, reporting and health surveillance
• HSE — Engineering: rotating machinery and glove entanglement risks