One of the risks that can arise in laundries is the accidental spillage of perchloroethylene. The small cleaning company, Penalba, has fitted a recovery tub to the dry cleaner in order to recover any discharge of solvent.

The task

Penalba is a small dry-cleaning firm. During dry-cleaning, solvents are used to remove grease more easily, without mechanical operation or reheating. Dry-cleaning companies, such as Penalba, mostly use perchloroethylene (PER). The classic technology uses about 60 g of solvent per kilogram of textiles cleaned.

The risk

The dry-cleaning companies are often small firms in which the workers are exposed daily to contact with dangerous chemicals such as perchloroethylene. This substance can cause cancer but the exposure values are less than the limit values during dry cleaning and the danger is therefore not there.
The problem lies rather in the waste created by the dry-cleaning process which is 10% to 80% of solvents (depending on the efficiency of the distillation method). Moreover, there is a risk (albeit low) of spillage of the solvent and of contamination of the floor below.

Another risk factor is the inadequate filtering of fumes during the dry-cleaning process and the risk of intoxication due to the inhalation of solvent fumes. If the fumes are not sufficiently purified, they reach the outside atmosphere, contribute to the formation of summer smog, and risk contaminating the ozone layer through the emission of corrosive chemical fumes. As small dry-cleaning firms are often located in residential areas (as is the case for Penalba) there is a risk involved for the surrounding area.

Finally, there is also a risk relating to slips.

The solution and methodology

After evaluating the risks, Penalba laundry decided to reduce the risk of accidental perchloroethylene spillage. This risk assessment used the methodology developed by the Institut National de Sécurité et d’Hygiène au Travail and is based on a binary method ('seriousness' and 'likelihood').

The solution consists of the installation of a recovery tub in the lower part of the cleaning machine to collect the perchloroethylene in case the solvent is accidentally spilled. This recovery tub is made of steel covered with antioxidant paint and exceeds the perimeter of the dry-cleaner by 20cm. It can contain 70 litres of solvent, and the pump of the cleaning machine sucks up the spilt liquid.

Moreover, a protective grill was installed on the protruding part to avoid the risk of injury.

The manager of Penalba also decided to place the containers of liquids used in the dry cleaning on the protective grill that covers the tub so that any spill from one of the containers flow directly into the tub reservoir.

The effectiveness of the results

Since this tub was installed, no accidental spillage has occurred. Controlled spillage was caused in order to check the effectiveness of the installed recovery system. The test result was positive: the tub recovered all the liquid that ran out.

This tub must always be kept perfectly dry. Any trace of liquid would be a sign of a failure of the safety system of the machine and would mean that a loss of perchloroethylene had occurred.

The participation of the workers

The workers did not participate in the development of the idea or in the installation of this solution. The workers were informed afterwards of the objective of the installation of the recovery tub. They expressed satisfaction with the concern of their employer for their health and safety.

The costs and benefits

The installation of the tub cost 2,223.74 Euros. This investment has already borne fruit, as the profits have increased considerably. Indeed, the customers have noted the constant concern of the company with regard to innovation and the use of cutting-edge technology of the sector to improve its service, particularly regarding quality.

The benefits have not only been economic. The reputation and the competitiveness of the company have increased greatly with respect to the companies of the geographical region in which the dry cleaner's is situated. The customers continue to place their confidence in this little company, which has been serving the Horta quarter for some thirty years.

Entrepreneur’s Testimony "The entrepreneur has always demonstrated his concern for assuring the health and the safety of his workers as well as his own. This concern is expressed in the total dedication of the entrepreneur to his company and his efforts to anticipate the standards in force at national level. The entrepreneur sought information on his own initiative and put in place measures and new preventive techniques inspired by other Member States of the European Union which are more advanced in this sector and which have more stringent laws."