The maintenance shop environment intertwines tools, equipment, chemicals, people, and more. Maintaining a safe and clean environment is of the utmost importance to avoid injury, workplace hazards, or tool and equipment failure. Fleet Maintenance spoke with Erin Bala, director of brand management and innovation at WD-40 Company, to discuss what WD-40 products and the organization do to stay mindful and ahead of shop hazards.
Tyler Fussner, Fleet Maintenance: Can you speak to the importance of keeping a clean and well-maintained shop environment?
Erin Bala, WD-40 Company: Keeping a clean and well-maintained shop is about more than having it look good – it’s about preventing equipment failure, reducing unscheduled downtime, promoting longer life of equipment, and ultimately keeping people safe by averting accidents.
FM: What are the safety aspects to consider when dealing with spilled fluids in the shop, such as oils, fuels, coolant, or other chemicals?
WD-40: Safety is the name of the game when it comes to vehicle repair shops.
The first consideration is the safety of workers. Spills can present a fire hazard, expose workers to hazardous liquids or vapors, or just present a slip hazard. Read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and product label to determine the hazard, then clean up spills promptly, taking the proper precautions. It’s important to consider local and national regulations when disposing fluids and chemicals to keep the shop and your technicians safe. And while proper disposal of fluids is imperative, choosing the right products on the front end can help ensure safety, as well.
WD-40 Brand products are 50-state VOC compliant and formulated to be as safe as possible for people, the environment, and on surfaces and equipment. Using safe products can also help reduce personal, legal, and regulatory risk for shops – something every shop owner strives for.
FM: What role does lubrication play in keeping tools and equipment in the shop in proper working condition?
WD-40: Lubrication keeps tools and equipment in tip-top shape, so they are ready when you need them. And while lubrication solutions aren’t new, there has been a lot of recent innovation to meet the specialized needs of fleets, shop owners, and other professionals. When choosing a lubricant to rely on, many technicians are now reaching for WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube because it sprays on thick and won’t run, drip, or make a mess, making it perfect for vertical surfaces like cables, chains, bearings, or gears. Longer-lasting products mean less frequent application, less product used, and less labor – all of which provide greater value and operational efficiency.
FM: Now more than ever, shop cleanliness is top of mind. How does the WD-40 brand help technicians keep their shop, tools, and equipment clean and safe to use?
WD-40: The WD-40 Specialist line offers a variety of products for specialized maintenance needs. For keeping shops and equipment clean, the WD-40 Specialist Cleaner & Degreaser is engineered to be powerful and easier to use. It quickly breaks through tough grease and grime on tools, industrial machinery, and equipment, and has added corrosion inhibitors to help protect against flash rust. With the Cleaner & Degreaser, users get the added benefit of a safer product. It has a water-based, non-flammable, non-corrosive, non-abrasive, and low-odor formula that is not only safe for use on aluminum, chrome, glass, plastic, rubber, stainless steel, granite, leather, paint, and much more, but is also biodegradable and meets U.S. EPA Safer Choice Standards. The degreaser is one of many products in the WD-40 Specialist line, which also includes lubricants, penetrants, greases, and rust management solutions, designed to address specific, on-the-job challenges.
FM: Chemicals can pose hazards to users and the environment. How does WD-40 protect those using their products and those operating in environments with active chemical use?
WD-40: Product safety and consumer health are WD-40’s top priority. That’s why all our products are 50-state VOC compliant, safe to use on multiple surfaces, and do not contain any ingredients at levels requiring California Prop 65 warnings, including benzene or toluene. WD-40 products are also formulated with clean solvents and oils that have been treated to remove harmful chemical contaminants. Plus, all WD-40 products are formulated to minimize the risk of harm to people, surfaces, and the environment.
Navigating the shop environment safely and efficiently is an ongoing challenge for technicians, managers, and owners alike. Keeping safety on the forefront of decision making, whether on how to carry out an in-shop procedure or which products, tools, and equipment to use, will aid in mitigating risk, injury, or any threat to a safe maintenance operation.
“We’ve talked a lot about the innovations WD-40 Brand has introduced in recent years – and this innovation is ongoing,” Bala conlcuded. “We’re constantly listening and improving products to fill existing voids, and help users work smarter, get their jobs done right, and create positive lasting memories.
Note: Responses provided by the company have been edited for clarity.
