Chemical safety in your laundry

GHS hazard pictograms

Chemical products use standardised CLP pictograms to identify risks. The most common in a laundry:

• GHS05 (corrosion) — Oximatic Plus, Machine Clean, Sanitex, Biogold (H314); Eco Wash, Bluegold, Power Gold, Biogold Q (H318)
• GHS07 (exclamation mark) — Blue Soft, Power Soft, Power Soft +; also Oximatic Plus and Machine Clean (H332, H335)
• GHS09 (environment) — Oximatic Plus, Machine Clean, Sanitex, Biogold, Biogold Q

Recommended PPE when handling products

• Nitrile gloves for every drum refill
• Eye protection when decanting
• Closed acid-resistant footwear
• Waterproof apron for the H314 products: Oximatic Plus, Machine Clean, Sanitex and Biogold
• Respiratory protection equipment if ventilation is insufficient

Emergency measures

Safe storage

• Temperatures no higher than 50 °C
• Away from heat, sparks and open flames
• Do not mix products together
• Adequate ventilation in the storage area
• Locked cabinet where minors are present

Changing a drum step by step

The riskiest moment when handling chemicals in a laundry is changing or refilling drums. A simple procedure, always carried out the same way, greatly reduces the risk:

1. Put on your PPE before opening the storeroom: at the very least, nitrile gloves and goggles.
2. Check the label on the new drum: it must be the same product as the one that has run out.
3. Label each suction lance and each tube with the name of its product so they are never swapped.
4. Connect the lance directly to the original container; avoid decanting whenever you can.
5. Rinse away any drips on the floor or on the lance with water and close the empty container tightly.
6. If you keep a log, record the date and the product changed.

The most dangerous mistake: mixing products

"Do not mix products" appears under safe storage for a good reason. Typical cases are pouring what is left in one drum into another, or connecting one product's lance to another product's pump. Besides ruining both products, some combinations react: Oximatic + and Machine Clean contain hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid and must not come into contact with bleach or other products. If in doubt, check the stability and reactivity section of the SDS.

What to do in the event of a spill

• Keep customers away from the area and ventilate the premises.
• Wearing your PPE, contain the liquid with inert absorbent material and collect it in a labelled container.
• Stop it from reaching the drain, especially if the product carries the environment pictogram (GHS09).
• Follow the accidental-release section of the product's SDS and dispose of the waste as it indicates.

Frequently asked questions

Are the laundry's customers at any risk?

In a self-service laundry with automatic dosing, customers never handle the concentrated product. That is why the storeroom and the drums must be out of their reach, in a locked room or cabinet, with the dosing unit covers properly closed.

What should I keep next to the storeroom?

The products' SDS, PPE, absorbent material for spills and clean water within reach to rinse eyes or skin. With corrosive products, an eyewash station close to the refilling point is strongly recommended.

Who trains my staff?

Instaquim provides technical visits and on-site training on safe handling, changing drums and using each product in the range.