Recent Editions

IMFormation December 2004

Traditional Christmas Luncheon
Cream of Tomato Soup
* * * * *
Roast Turkey with Sage
and Onion Stuffing
served withseasonal fresh vegetables
* * * * *Christmas Pudding with
Brandy sauce
* * * * *Coffee and Mints
Choice of red & white wine
(A vegetarian alternative will be available)

Health, Safety and Environment

First prosecution under IPPC
A waste company has been fined £20,000 for a breach of an IPPC permit. It was a condition on the permit that odours were not to develop at levels likely to cause pollution or harm to human health or serious detriment to the amenity of the locality outside the site boundary. The landfill gas flame had gone out and unburned gases were being vented. It was alleged that the landfill gas odours were strong enough to wake local residents.

IPPC – have you registered?

To-date, some 120 companies have applied for permits under IPPC legislation. This is less than the anticipated number of companies who are believed to be over the 30 m3 threshold. It has been made clear by the Environment Agency that offenders will be prosecuted. You have been warned on several occasions by both SEA and IMF so it’s no good saying‘you did not know!

Consultation on amendments to IPPC (Scotland) Regulation 2000

The consultation paper seeks comments on proposed amendments including:
● detailed proposed changes to the regulations
● draft amendment regulations
● a list of consultees
Copies of the document (ISBN: 0-7559-2514-9) can be obtained from Blackwell’s Bookshop, 53 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1YS, and is also available from the Scottish Executive website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk.views/views.asp
Responses to be received by 21 January 2005

Proposed 2005-06 Fees & Charges from Welsh Assembly

It is the practice of the Welsh Assembly to consult stakeholders and local authority associations as part of the annual review of the local authority charging schemes. It is proposed that LAPC fees and charges for 2005-6 be increased by 5% over current levels Copies of the proposals can be obtained from the Air and Environment Quality, Environment Division – tel: 029 2082 3499, fax 029 2082 3658. Comments are required by 14 January 2005.

HSE targets Manufacturing Industries

HSE has launched a new enforcement led campaign to reduce the unacceptably high number of fatal and serious accidents that continue to occur in industry. The nation-wide campaign will see HSE inspectors targeting various industry sectors over the next three years to ensure that correct procedures are in place for working on machinery. During the past three years over 40 people have died as a result of incidents in manufacturing industry, most commonly when cleaning machinery blockages or carrying out running repairs without the correct safeguards, in particular not properly managing isolation and lock-off procedures to ensure there is no power feed to equipment.
The campaign aims to:
● Raise awareness about the risks and standards
required for safe isolation and lock-off
● Ensure, through formal enforcement, that robust
isolation and lock-off procedures are implemented
● Ensure that employers have, or are putting in
place, sound risk control systems for managing
these procedures.

Investigating Accidents and Incidents

HSE has published new guidance on how to investigate accidents and incidents, including near
misses. The guidance is aimed primarily at small to medium-sized enterprises, where it is often difficult to build up an expertise in investigating, although larger organisations may also find the guidance helpful.
The four steps featured in the guidance are:
● gathering information
● analysing information
● identifying risk control measures; and
● action plan and its implementation.
Said Jonathan Russell of HSE’s Enforcement Policy branch ‘To have one accident is bad enough, but to have a further accident because lessons were not learnt is inexcusable’. HSE believes that the best people to make workplaces safer are the staff and managers who work in them. This guidance provides a tool for them to find out what went wrong, learn
lessons and take action to reduce or prevent future accidents. Copies of Investigating accidents and incidents: A workbook for employers, unions, safety representatives and safety professionals HSG245 ISBN 0 7176 2827 2, priced £9.50, are available from HSE Books.

Contaminated land is waste

A recent European Court of Justice decision is likely to have significant and far-reaching implications. The question for the court was whether hydrocarbons which had spilled, causing soil and groundwater contamination were to be regarded as waste within the meaning of the Waste Framework Directive. The court’s finding was yes. The moral must be don’t let materials enter the site – if you do and then move toanother site you may have to take the contaminated
material with you or pay for expensive remedial work.

National Laboratory Service (NLS)

The NLS is an internal business unit within the Environment Agency in which there is a group called the NLS Waste and Contaminated Land Service, This group has been set up to provide an analytical service to customers who need specialist analysis for waste and contaminated land. The service is based at two NLS sites – the Waterlooville Laboratory for landfill leachates, contaminated land and asbestos, whilst for landfill gas, hazardous or unknown waste and ambient
air monitoring at there Nottingham Laboratory. For further information please contact the NLS at
Waterloovile, telephone: 01903 832660

DEFRA– PFOS Consultative Document

DEFRA have prepared a consultative document on the proposed national action to restrict the use of perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and substances that degrade to PFOS. One use of this substance is as a mist suppressant in hexavalent chromium plating. PFOS is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and a risk to the aquatic and terrestrial environment. It is suspected of causing cancer and may be toxic for reproduction. The consultative document is available
on the DEFRA website: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/pfos/index.htm
Closing date for response is 25 January 2005 to David
Lovell, DEFRA, Chemical & GM Policy Division, Zone
3/E4, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE

Prosecutions

Following an investigation by HSE, a company and its officers was fined a total of £245,000 in relation to the removal of asbestos. The company was contracted to clear and strip out a site prior to it being converted by a development company. A team of inexperienced worker ranging in age from 16 to 26 were hired without any warning of the risks associated with asbestos. An
HSE inspector said that this was one of the worst situations she had come across, not only the asbestos risk but also that work was allowed to go ahead despite concerns of the workforce.

Company News

ITW Industrial Finishing

New spray gun which users have helped design has been launched. Named the ‘DeVilbiss Compact’ it is smaller, lightweight, and easy to handle to reduce operator fatigue, coupled with high performance atomisation to optimise material transfer. It is suitable for spraying on virtually any substrate. For further details call the hotlines to discuss your requirements
on 01202 596234 or 01202 596244.

British Coatings Federation

Nigel Bond, sales director of Dulux Trade Paints, has been elected President of the British Coatings Federation, the trade association that represents the paint, coatings and printing ink production industries in the UK. Mr Bond has been employed with ICI paints for over 30 years, involved in aspects of raw materials purchasing, packaging and trade marketing.

Johnson Matthey – Platinum Metals Review

The Platinum Metals Review journal is now only available on the Internet, and you must register with Johnson Matthey for E-mail alerts. The alerts will advise you about new issues of the E-journal and of important additions to the website – such as the imminent addition of the ‘PGM database’. To register, please fill in the form given "Register for E-mail Alerts"
or send message to jmpmr@matthey.com

Hitachi High-Technologies

Hitachi has announced the launch of the S-3400N variable pressure scanning electron microscope with new electron optics, detector, pumping system and enhanced handling and analysis capabilities. This new instrument allows better quality images to be produced from even the most difficult specimens quickly and more easily. For further information please contact Paul Ansell.
telephone: 0118 932 8632 or fax: 0118 932 8779

Jewellery Handbook – Electroforming

A new book on the subject of electroforming, aimed at crafts people has been written by Les Curtis, senior lecturer at the School of Jewellery of the University of Central England. It is a new addition to the ‘Handbook’ series conceived as an introduction to the various topics and techniques relating to making of jewellery. Published by A & C Black of London and selected as
their ‘book of the month’ it is available from Amazon at £9.79. (A review published in a future edition of the Transaction of the IMF)

BSTSA Guide

The BSTSA have published a Health and Safety guide for surface finishing ‘tank side’ personnel. It contains advice and assistance for employers on how to carry out work responsibilities in a safe manner. Topics covered include induction training, protective clothing, good housekeeping, handling chemicals, tank side work, filtration equipment, process heating, loading and unloading, fork lift equipment, portable equipment and maintenance. It has been written using easily understood language.Copies of the guide can be obtained from SEA,telephone :0121 237 1123

.
Shot in the Dark

Spill ! a new emergency response training video from Shot in the Dark What makes the difference – Answer: Spill Skills! the lightening guide to emergency response. Knowing
how to use a spill kit effectively in an emergency is vital for preventing pollution. Spill!, demonstrates the essential steps to rapid response including: awareness, raising the alarm, identifying the spillage, PPE, helping the injured, stopping the source,
containment, notification, clean up, and waste disposal. For further information – telephone: 01484 400008

Pirtek UK

Pirtek UK the provider of fluid transfer solutions has launched a new comprehensive catalogue, which is suggested, could become the Bible for the hydraulics and pneumatics sectors. It contains details of over 14,000 products on offer from the company. Normally priced at £5.00 the catalogue is available free to IMF members until the end of December. To receive a copy please telephone: 0800 38 24 38, or by logging onto www.pirtek.co.uk

Aleo Plating Ltd received SFI grant

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is pleased to announce that the first company in Liverpool to receive a Selective Finance for Investment (SFI) award is Aleo Plating Ltd. Aleo is a specialist metal finishing company servicing sectors ranging from aerospace and automotive to construction and home furnishing. The grant, part of a capital investment programme, will assist in the introduction of a new finishing line to help meet the growing demand from its customers.

NWDA delivers SFI grants on behalf of the DTI to manufacturing and service businesses within the regions assisted areas. Further information contact Laura Hampson – Tel: 01925 400256

Pugh & Co

Specialist chemicals company Pugh announces a major breakthrough for the galvanised steel and nonferrous metals fabrication sector with Actan GS® Primer – a water borne surface treatment/primer. After many years of development and trials in the UKnd Europe the product has proven to perform well on new and weathered galvanised steel. It is 100 % water
based with a VOC content of less than 0.1 % to ensure compliance with EC Directives and US environmental legislation. The product is safe for users and has a low environmental impact.
Actan GS® works as an adhesion primer ensuring the adhesion of subsequent coatings on hot dip or electro galvanised steel, aluminium, copper, bronze and stainless steel. Further information can be obtained by telephoning the press agent: 020 8542 9716, fax 020 8542 1392

Hi-Tec Spray

Hi-Tec Spray, the surface coating specialist, and distributor of spraying, finishing and pumping
equipment for many top international manufacturers, has relocated its Midlands depot to a larger, more accessible site. This has paid immediate dividends with customers flocking to the new centre. The new depot has the advantage of being in a central position in the established Gravelly Industrial Estate in Birmingham, tel: 0121 327 8860 The company has strengthened its service team by the appointment of a new service engineer, David Bryan, at its Bristol depot. David Bryan will cover Wales and the West Country and will be responsible for the servicing and repairing of the huge range of spray equipment. Bristol depot tel: 01179 633810

D.Leonardt & Co

Leonardt, contract electroplaters of high volume small parts, based at Highley near Bridgnorth has recently installed a Vacu-Blast ‘Ventus®II 125R’ cabinet blasting machine. The machine has enabled them to develop and introduce innovative nickel and tin-cobalt finishes and enhanced electroless nickel finishes. The machine is also being used for surface preparation prior to powder coating and barrel painting, and for general surface preparation and cleaning tasks. Further details – tel: 01746 861203, fax: 01746 862296

IMF News

Technician of the Institute of Metal Finishing – TechIMF

The Examination & Qualification Board have recently made it possible for those persons holding the Technician Certificate, but unable to attend for interview, to apply for the TechIMF qualification. The regulations governing the award have recently been revised to accommodate applicants who are in this situation. Applicants must submit a written statement
covering the following:● Summary of work experience in the surface
finishing indutry
● Use of IT skills
● Example of a solved technical problem
● Lectures, presentations given and papers
published
● Courses, conferences, seminars attended
● Knowledge and responsibilities with respect to Health & Safety and Environment legislation
On receipt of the above, the applicant will have a‘telephone interview’ with a professional member of the IMF, following which the application will be evaluated. However, this new non-interview procedure, whilst satisfying the IMF’s regulations, still has to be evaluated for acceptance for EngTech qualification of the Engineering Council – ECuk. Interested – contact the IMF office and request an application form for the above or any of the other professional member grades

.Recent Examination Successes

Foundation Certificate (via DL)–September 2004
Azanu R ---
Ford S # Smiths Aerospace
Gunn A * HBC Engineering
Swales P * HBC Engineering

Distance Learning-September 2004
MF2 – Plating Practice
Groome A ** MacDermid plc
MF4 – Process Management
Musto G * Messier Services Ltd
* with Merit # with Distinction
** awarded Technician Certificate (MF1 + MF2)

New members and transfers
Affiliate
Biddle R Norfolk
Hesson J Birmingham
Raya I Michigan, USA

TechIMF
Cromwell P Sheffield
Wong K Hong Kong

Member
Beer G* Torrington
* by transfer from Affiliate grade.

British Standards
DRAFT BRITISH STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT
04/19975018 DC
EN 4195 Aerospace series. Paints and varnishes. Determination of chromate leaching
04/19988922 DC
EN 4171 Aerospace series. Paints and varnishes. Determination of the acid phosphoric index
04/19994774 DC
EN 4406 Aerospace series. Paints and varnishes. Two component cold curing polyurethane finish. Abrasion resistant
BRITISH STANDARDS REVIEWED AND
CONFIRMED
BS 3382:-
Specification for electroplated coatings on threaded components
BS 3382:Parts 1 and 2:1961
Cadmium on steel components. Zinc on steel components
BS 3382:Parts 3 and 4:1965
Nickel or nickel plus chromium on steel components. Nickel or nickel plus chromium on copper and copper alloy (including brass) components

BS 3382:Parts 5 and 6:1967
Tin on copper or copper alloy (including brass) components. Silver on copper or copper alloys
(including brass) components
BS3382-7:1966
Thicker platings for threaded components
BS EN PUBLICATIONS
BS EN ISO 11341:2004
(BS 3900-F14:2004)
Paints and varnishes. Artificial weathering and exposure to artificial radiation. Exposure to filtered
xenon-arc radiation (supersedes BS EN ISO
11341:1988)
NEW WORK STARTED
BS ISO 15181:-
Paints and varnishes. Determination of release rate of biocides from antifouling paints
BS IMPLEMENTATION OF EUROPEAN
STANDARDS
BS EN 13636:2004 Cathodic protection of buried metallic tanks and related piping.
Partially supersedes BD 7361-1:1991
BRITISH STANDARDS PROPOSED FOR
CONFIRMATION
BS 4921:1988 Specification for sherardized coatings on iron or steel
BS 6161:- Method of test for anodic oxidation coatings on aluminium and its alloys.
BS 6161-18:1991 Determination of surface abrasion resistance



Sustaining Member – Name & address change

Atofina have changed their name to Arkema Ltd, at Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull B90 8AG. Contact Ken Griffiths -Tel: 0121 743811, Fax: 0121 743 4936

Midland Branch

Next event will be a seminar on 8 February 2005. The topic will be ‘Instrumentation for Surface Finishing’. The programme is currently being finalised but further information will be posted on the IMF website at www.uk-finishing.org.uk or contact the Branch Secretary on 0121 308 0777

New Sustaining Member Company

Medical Device Innovation Centre
Stenson Road. Whitwick Business Park
Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 4JP
Tel: 01530 830930. Fax: 01530 830940
Contact: Dr Paul Stevenson
Premier centre for medical device/pharmaceutical surface innovations. Plasma surface chemical modification, cleaning and deposition and validated equipment sales. Coating for wear, biocompatibility and in-vivo performance. Characterisation and validation service


Out and About
Nano and Hybrid Coatings Conference.
25/26 January 2005, Manchester Conference Centre.
Details from PRA, Tel: 020 8614 4811
Surface Technology + Powder Coating Europe
11 – 15 April 2005, Hannover Fair, Germany
Details from Mark Decker, Tel: +49 511 89 31127
Galvanica 2005 April 5 – 7 in Stuttgart
Details tel: +49 711 2589 0, www.messe-stuttgart.de
Midlands Manufacturing. 13 –14 April at the NEC
Birmingham. Details see: www.industry.co.uk

SURFACE FINISHING SERVICES

PUMPS and FILTERS
first for CHOICE first for VALUE
SIEBEC UK Ltd
Unit 3 St Albans Road, Stafford
Staffs ST16 3DR
Tel: 01785 227700
Fax: 01785 246006

The latest technology
in Plating and
Lacquer Processes
Contact
Paul Griffiths
Schloetter Co.Ltd
New Road Pershore,
Worcs, UK WR10 1BY
Telephone- +44(0) 1386 552331
Fax- +44(0) 1386 556864
Email - sales@schloetter.co.uk
Website - www.schloetter.co.uk

Do your employees need training?
The IMF has available courses and modules from the
basic Foundation level through to Diploma level.
Tutored courses for the Foundation and Technician
held at the IMF office and in-house at companies.
Distance Learning modules at Foundation, Technician
and Advance Technician to Diploma level.
All courses and modules offer professional qualification
and insignia to those who pass the end of course or
module examination and have the necessary
experience.
Further details contact IMF office in Birmingham.