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News Release from: Castrol UK | Subject: Castrol helps Federal Mogul
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 May 2005
Castrol helps Federal Mogul achieve
OHSAS 18001
Castrol responsibility for total fluid management helped the Federal Mogul Elstead plant achieve significant process efficiencies and OHSAS 18001 accreditation
Castrol responsibility for total fluid management helped the Federal Mogul Elstead plant achieve significant process efficiencies and OHSAS 18001 accreditation, as health and safety manager Jim Sweet explains The Federal Mogul manufacturing facility in Elstead Surrey produces automotive camshafts for companies such as Ford, Jaguar, Perkins, Rover, Cummins, Bentley, Caterpillar and Land Rover
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 8 Apr 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The 4-acre site employs about 200 people of which around 160 are employed in the machine shop.
The majority of the camshaft castings are made at the company's foundry in Lydney and shipped to Elstead for machine finishing, which involves turning, milling and some heat treatment.
The machine shop houses 130 CNC machines producing 20,000 camshafts a week, some in chrome steel but mainly in cast metals.
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Castrol Total Fluid Management works at Land Rover
Six years ago, following many years as one of a number of suppliers to the Land Rover Solihull plant, Castrol was awarded the Total Fluid Management (TFM) contract for their Powertrain operation
Federal Mogul has been a Castrol customer for more than five years, initially on a supply only basis, and more recently with a Total Fluid Management (TFM) service.
Taking up the story, Federal Mogul health and safety manager Jim Sweet says when the company handled its own coolant management, they weren't achieving the results they wanted and were also experiencing some localised health and safety issues.
The decision to change to Total Fluid Management involved Castrol in virtually every aspect of the machine shop operation at Elstead and means that, besides being responsible for lubricant supply, storage and stock control and coolant management, Castrol is also involved in health and safety, operator training and, most recently, the Federal Mogul successful certification to OHSAS 18001.
Castrol has a four-man team on site, including contract manager Alan Lambourne.
Three of the team work day shifts and one works the night shift.
The coolant supply for the machine shop is split between a central distribution system that services the major CNC machines, and other areas that are serviced manually.
Castrol manages all areas and has helped to improve efficiency and productivity by introducing Oil Condition Monitoring (OCM) and a computer-based management system to integrate fluid monitoring, coolant changes and environmental checks.
Where possible Castrol schedules are integrated with those of the Federal Mogul preventative maintenance team to ensure they get access to machines when they are shut down and, if appropriate, can schedule sump cleaning and fluid changes.
Commenting on Castrol's involvement in Federal Mogul's OHSAS 18001 accreditation, Jim Sweet says the process took seven months and was also very much a joint effort.
"Alan and I work closely together - I was the health and safety representative for Federal Mogul with Alan representing Castrol.
During the process he was involved in risk/CoSHH Assessments - virtually as a Federal Mogul employee." Besides collaborating with Federal Mogul maintenance and engineering departments Alan managed delivery and storage of all Castrol products to the site, provided data sheets for all Castrol products used, conducted assessments and ensured that information was sited in the most effective areas for employee access.
He also worked with the Federal Mogul training department to draft procedures and operating instructions for equipment such as 'Freddy' fluid handling machines, and as an active member of the Elstead site Health and Safety committee, provided positive input into its monthly meeting.
Explaining the impact of accreditation on the day-to-day operation of the machine shop Jim Sweet explains: "We know from experience that if fluids aren't properly maintained the fines can have an adverse impact on component quality and machine maintenance.
The combination of TFM and OCM not only ensures that metalworking fluids are maintained in peak condition, it also helps us to create optimum machine maintenance schedules." He adds that as part of the accreditation Alan contributed by recommending a review of the oil storage area which, as a potential fire hazard, was probably the most vulnerable area on the site.
Explains Alan Lambourne: "Space is at a premium at Elstead and as part of the OHSAS 18001 accreditation we convinced Federal Mogul that a bunded oil storage area was a priority.
They agreed and we then made the necessary changes and worked with them to draw up emergency procedures".
Commenting on the localised health and safety issues, Jim Sweet says that before TFM was introduced some machine operators had experienced coolant-related rashes.
However, analysis of fluid samples confirmed that poorly maintained fluid was the cause, and subsequently a more rigorous Castrol management programme has eliminated the problem.
Summing up he says that since Castrol has taken over fluid management Federal Mogul has had no problems with its metalworking fluids: "Castrol is now an integral part of the business and is a fixture on the agenda at our regular H and S meetings.
Alan Lambourne and the Castrol team also made a very positive contribution to the OHSAS 18001 accreditation and are very professional - and when action is needed they just get things done.".
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