Ensuring Safety and Efficiency in Gearbox Oil Changes at Height: Best Practices for Food Manufacturing Plants

It can be a challenge to replace mineral oils with food-grade oil in gearboxes if said gearboxes are situated in a tricky location, for example over a storage tank at height, as recently experienced. Best practice requires forward planning to ensure a smooth and successful change. At a recent site visit, this challenge is exactly what we faced and the following is how we handled it ensuring compliance with HACCP rules.

Preliminary Planning and Preparation

1. Confirm Specifications: The oil grade and viscosity is checked to ensure that the Food-Grade oil (such as Activate’s Food-Grade 680) meets the specific requirements of the machine.

2. Volume Verification: The volume of oil needed to completely replace the existing oil is calculated and noted.

3. Key Point Identification: Drain, breather and fill points are clearly marked to facilitate the oil change process.

4. Tools and Equipment Check: All tools and equipment are gathered in advance, including those used for lifting and accessing the gearbox. You don’t want to be half way through a change, missing an essential piece of kit.

5. Site Preparation: This includes checking the area for access and lighting, ensuring a safe access to the top of the storage tank, completing the necessary Risk Assessments (RAMS) and securing necessary permits to comply with Health and Safety Regulations.

Changing the Oil

Once everything is in place to proceed, the next steps follow directly:

1. Equipment & Waste Management: Always lift tools safely using certified lifting ropes and claps to elevate tools and lighting to the top of the tank.

2. Capacity: Ensure that waste containers are sufficiently large enough to accommodate all of the drained oil and position them in readiness to do their job.

3. Isolation & Safety Measures: Isolate the equipment by de-energising the gearbox and implementing lockout/tagout procedures. In addition, clear the work area of any unnecessary items and ensure the area is tidy before starting.

4. Draining and Flushing: Arrange the set up to drain the old oil and flush the system with new oil until it runs clear. This typically requires using around 10 to 20% of the gearbox’s capacity for flushing. Make sure to install visual aids for checking such as a flat clear or bull’s eye sight glass to monitor the oil level.

5. Refilling: Use a funnel/filter or Oil Safe Fill Unit to refill the gearbox with the food-grade oil to the correct level and clean the breather before replacing it. If necessary, fit a desiccant filter breather to ensure moisture control.

6. Final Steps: After completing the oil change, clean the fan cowl and gearbox. Safely lower all tools and waste containers using the same lifting procedures as mentioned earlier and restore operations by removing isolation tags and temporary lighting.

Ensure the area is left in a safe condition.

Sample Planning

The viscosity and grade of oil was confirmed and we instigated a sample program with the customer. A sample condition of the system was taken with a further planned sample to be taken at 30 days to set a base line for future monitoring.

These structured steps allow food manufacturing plants to ensure that gearbox oil changes are conducted safely and efficiently, minimising downtime and ensuring compliance with HACCP standards. Proper planning, thorough preparation, and diligent execution maintain operational excellence and safeguard product integrity.

Thanks to Robin Thomas , Lubrication Services Director at CBM Partners