COSHH Assessment — Grundo-Oil (pneumatic mole / hammer lubricant)¶
Confirmed against the container label and the manufacturer’s sheet
The container was photographed on 24/09/2026. TRACTO GRUNDO-OIL, 5 litre, part GRU2002311, from TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG of Lennestadt. The label states the contents as polyethylene glycol with less than 5% anionic surfactant and carries no signal word, no hazard statement and no pictogram.
The manufacturer's safety data sheet says the same. TT Technologies, Inc., the GRUNDO brand's North American arm, publish it for material number 206115, version 2-0/USA, revision date 22 April 2015: "Not a hazardous substance or mixture" for both classification and labelling, on the same polyethylene glycol base.
The grade question is answered. This assessment had recorded that the water-based and oil-based grades have opposite spill and environmental profiles and that the grade had to be read off the container. The label puts it beyond doubt: water-soluble polyethylene glycol, and the container carries the manufacturer's own harmless for the environment mark.
The sheet held is the TT Technologies sheet against material number 206115. AMWS buys against the European codes GRU2002311 and GRU2002317, and the EU sheet against those part numbers has been requested from TRACTO-TECHNIK — owner Sean Ashton, target 31/10/2026.
Assessment finalised and signed 29/09/2026.
| Ref | Revision | Issue Date | Next Review | Assessor | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COSHH_26 | 1 | 8 September 2026 | 1 June 2027 | Sean Ashton | Aaron Mason, Director |
Key references
COSHH_26 on the COSHH Register (APP_09)
TT Technologies sheet for GRUNDO-OIL, material 206115, version 2-0/USA of 22/04/2015, filed 27/09/2026. The manufacturer's own sheet, agreeing with the container label on the polyethylene glycol base and on the product being not classified. The EU sheet against GRU2002311 and GRU2002317 has been requested from TRACTO-TECHNIK for 31/10/2026.
Van-pack inclusion
This substance is carried in the field van packs. The Van Packs operative-facing site holds a synchronised copy.
1. Product identification¶
| Product name | TRACTO GRUNDO-OIL — lubricant for GRUNDOMAT and GRUNDORAM, part GRU2002311 (5 l) / GRU2002317 (25 l) |
| Supplier | TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG, Paul-Schmidt-Strasse 2, 57368 Lennestadt, Germany |
| Active ingredients / CAS | Polyethylene glycol, with less than 5% anionic surfactant. Water-soluble. Read from the container label photographed 24/09/2026. The manufacturer’s own safety data sheet gives the same base, polyethylene glycol of mean molecular weight 200 to 600 |
| Physical form | Liquid |
| Appearance / odour | Light amber oil, mild hydrocarbon odour |
| Use | In-line lubrication of GRUNDOMAT / GRUNDORAM pneumatic soil-displacement hammers used on moling and thrust-boring work |
| Location | Jason May's COSHH cabinet, AMWS yard |
2. Hazard classification¶
Overall classification: To be confirmed from the SDS. Pneumatic tool oils of this type are typically either unclassified or classified for aspiration toxicity depending on viscosity.
Signal word: None required — the manufacturer classifies the product as not a hazardous substance or mixture, and the container label carries no signal word and no pictogram
Hazard statements (H-codes)¶
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| — | Not classified as hazardous in the supplied form |
Precautionary statements (key P-codes)¶
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| P262 | Do not get in eyes, on skin or on clothing. |
| P280 | Wear protective gloves and eye protection. |
| P273 | Avoid release to the environment. |
| P501 | Dispose to an authorised waste-oil contractor. |
GHS pictograms¶
| Oxidising | Explosive | Flammable | Toxic | Harmful | Corrosive | Human Health | Dangerous for environment | Gas under pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
3. Persons at risk¶
| Staff | Public | Visitors | Contractor | Workers | Young / Pregnant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☑ | ☐ | ☐ | ☑ | ☑ | ☐ |
4. Routes of exposure¶
- Inhalation: The significant route for this product. Pneumatic tools exhaust an oil mist at the tool and at the airline connections
- Skin contact: Repeated contact causes dermatitis
- Eye contact: Mist and pressurised release can carry oil to the eyes
- Ingestion: Unlikely
5. Workplace exposure limits (HSE EH40/2005)¶
| Component | STD | 8-hr TWA | 15-min STEL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil mist, mineral | — | 5 mg/m³ | 10 mg/m³ | EH40/2005. Applies to mist generated by spraying, splashing or hot work |
6. Frequency and duration of exposure¶
COSHH Regulation 6 requires the assessment to consider the amount, level and duration of exposure.
| Amount used | Times per day | Duration per use |
|---|---|---|
| Small — millilitres per fill | 1–5 times per day | 1–5 minutes to charge the lubricator; exposure continues while the tool runs |
7. Control measures — hierarchy of controls¶
Elimination / substitution
- Not practicable — lubrication is required for tool life and safe operation
Engineering controls
- In-line lubricator charged rather than oil poured into the air inlet
- Work outdoors or in open excavation — the normal working environment disperses mist
- Airline connections checked for leaks before the shift
Administrative controls
- Do not stand in the tool exhaust stream
- Charge the lubricator with the airline isolated and depressurised
- Hand-arm vibration exposure is controlled separately under SOP 8.10
Personal protective equipment
- Nitrile gloves
- Safety glasses — mandatory when charging or breaking airline connections
- Hearing protection per the noise assessment for the tool
8. Storage and handling¶
| Temperature | Ambient |
| Location | Yard COSHH cabinet, bunded |
| Avoid | Strong oxidisers; contamination with grit |
| Container | Original container, closed |
9. Emergency procedures¶
First aid¶
| Route | Action |
|---|---|
| Eyes | Rinse with water for several minutes. Seek medical advice if a pressurised jet has contacted the eye. |
| Skin | Wash with soap and water. |
| Inhalation | Move to fresh air. Seek medical advice if breathing is uncomfortable. |
| Ingestion | Rinse mouth. Do not induce vomiting. Seek medical advice. |
Spillage¶
Absorb with oil absorbent. Protect the excavation and the nearest drain. Dispose as hazardous waste.
Fire prevention¶
Combustible when heated. Foam, dry powder or CO₂.
Emergency contacts¶
- Emergency services: 999
- NHS non-emergency: 111
- AMWS supervisor: Jason May
- HSQE support: Sean Ashton (Onyx Operations)
10. Waste disposal¶
Hazardous waste, EWC 13 02 05*. Authorised waste-oil contractor with a consignment note.
11. Risk rating¶
| Before controls | With controls |
|---|---|
| Moderate | Low |
Risk rating methodology: Severity × Likelihood = Risk (S × L = R). See POL_HSQE_21 — Risk Assessment for the full scoring matrix.
12. Training requirements¶
- Pneumatic tool lubrication procedure
- Airline safety — isolate and depressurise before disconnecting
- Oil mist and dermatitis awareness
- HAVS awareness — SOP 8.10
13. Assessment outcome¶
| Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Safe to proceed with existing control measures | ☐ |
| Safe to proceed with additional actions | ☑ |
| Unsafe — do not proceed | ☐ |
14. Monitoring and review¶
- Weekly COSHH cabinet inspection by the Site Supervisor
- Annual COSHH review, or sooner on change of product, supplier or task
- Review immediately if the SDS obtained differs from the profile assumed above
15. References¶
- POL_HSQE_08 — COSHH Policy
- POL_HSQE_19 — Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy
- SOP 8.5 — Hazardous Substances (COSHH)
- SOP 8.7 — Health Surveillance
- APP_09 — COSHH Assessments Log
- HSE COSHH Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2677, as amended)
- HSE EH40/2005 Workplace Exposure Limits
- CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (as retained in UK law)
16. Signatures¶
| Name | Signature | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessor | Sean Ashton, HSQE Consultant | 08/09/2026 | |
| Supervisor | Jason May, Site Supervisor | ||
| Approved by | Aaron Mason, Director | Signed by S. Ashton for and on behalf of the Director, under delegated authority | 29/09/2026 |
| User acknowledgement |
This assessment must be reviewed annually or when circumstances change — whichever is sooner.
Method statements¶
The in-line lubricant for the GRUNDOMAT and GRUNDORAM hammers. MS 3.4 is the moling method statement.
| Ref | Method statement |
|---|---|
| MS 3.4 | Moling Operations |
Held at Issue 2, 01/06/2026 on the Van Packs site and listed in APP_24. The method statement sets out the safe system of work for the task; this assessment controls the substance used within it.
Related documents¶
This assessment is one of thirty held under APP_09. The substance-specific controls are above; the system that maintains them is below.
- POL_HSQE_08 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
- POL_HSQE_19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- SOP 8.5 Hazardous Substances (COSHH)
- SOP 8.4 Personal Protective Equipment
- SOP 8.7 Health Surveillance
- SOP 9.5 Hazardous Management of Waste
- APP_09 COSHH Assessments Register
- APP_10 Legal & Compliance Requirements Register with Evaluation
- RA_HO_15 PPE Management
Standard applied: COSHH Regulations 2002 (undated reference), with workplace exposure limits taken from HSE EH40/2005 and hazard classification from GB CLP. Referenced undated so a new edition does not force a re-issue of every assessment.