Heavy-duty cleaning products are essential for repair and maintenance tasks in the mining and resources industry. But these products are often flammable, posing a risk to worker safety - and expensive equipment.

Sparks from welders and grinders, flammable vapours and static electricity may ignite traditional cleaning products, leading to fire or even explosion. Here’s how products from CRC can help lower the risk of ignition, and why one heavy equipment supplier decided to make the switch.

CRC’s non-flammable range

CRC has expanded its range of cleaning products, solvents and lubricants to include non-flammable (NF) versions. The NF range has been formulated using advanced research and technology, giving the products the same efficacy as the standard ones but without the risk of ignition.

The range includes heavy-duty parts cleaners, brake cleaners, lubricants, degreasers, and electric motor and equipment cleaning solvents. These products are suitable for use in many industries – including mining and resources, electrical, automotive, agriculture and marine.

CRC’s ‘Magnificent 7’ NF range includes:

• CRC NF 5.56 Aerosol Lubricant
• CRC NF Tac-2 Adhesive Lubricant
• CRC NF Brakleen brake and parts cleaner
• CRC NF Contact Cleaner
• CRC NF Lectra Solve Degreaser
• CRC NF Lectra Clean
• CRC NF Heavy Duty Parts Cleaner

The CRC NF Heavy Duty Parts Cleaner is one of the company’s more recent developments. This aerosol product is a stable, high-purity solvent with no flash point. It is also non-conductive and non-corrosive. It’s residue-free, which eliminates the need for rinsing or wiping and evaporates quickly, helping to reduce cleaning time.

Making the switch to CRC NF products

A heavy equipment supplier recently made the decision to switch to CRC NF products after some serious incidents that resulted in injury, damage to equipment and premises and lost productivity.

• A contractor sprayed flammable brake and parts cleaner to remove contaminants prior to using a linishing machine. The linishing process produced sparks, which ignited the flammable vapours from the cleaning product. This led to the contractor’s head becoming engulfed in flames.
• A staff member decanted bulk flammable brake cleaner into a plastic pump sprayer in order to spray it onto equipment for cleaning. A combination of static electricity from the plastic bottle and the product vapours led to the equipment, bench and floor catching alight.'

The supplier chose CRC NF Heavy Duty Parts Cleaner to use across its operations. The considerations included the product being a non-flammable aerosol evaporative degreaser that is non-carcinogenic and without any global warming potential. The benefits of switching to NF products for the business were improved safety without compromising on cleaning performance.

David Bailey, CRC Industries National Field Sales and Contracts Manager, says CRC is also working on a bulk non-aerosol version of the product that is soon to be released. “CRC NF Heavy Duty Parts Cleaner provides a non-flammable high-quality safe alternative with no adverse health effects for all evaporative cleaning applications.”

CRC’s NF range can help improve workplace safety and protection of equipment in many industrial settings. Shop the CRC NF range online at Blackwoods, Australia’s largest provider of industrial and safety equipment.

See the product safety sheet here.

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