How to Inspect Lube Deliveries

A few drums of oil were just delivered onsite and are sitting in front of the warehouse area. What now? Just put them inside and mark them as part of the inventory? Is that it? No.

Checklists For New Lubricant Deliveries:

Delivery Requisition Check Packaging Integrity Check Lubricant Quality Check Safety and Storage Check

Delivery Requisition Check

Upon delivery, the receiving clerk at the warehousing area should begin by verifying the lubricants being delivered meet the requirements of the original purchase requisition. This includes: On Time: Were they delivered in a timely manner, in the right place and in the requested packaging? Right Product: Look at the label - are these the products requested? The product name must be verified in its entirety, not just a similar product. Blend Date: Were the lubricants blended on a reasonably recent date? The shelf life of a lubricant starts from the date it is first blended. Point of Fill: Ask the delivery representative where the lubricant came from and if the point of fill is known. Has there been any intermediate storage locations? What are the conditions of these locations? Certificate of Analysis (COA): Is a COA provided? Each lubricant blended at a blend plant should be analyzed to verify the product’s physical, chemical and performance properties. This will include lubricant analysis testing such as viscosity, oxidation stability, elemental analysis, FTIR and cleanliness.

Once the product delivered is verified to meet what was requested, a check must be made to verify the product integrity. Lubricants are delivered in many different ways, and inspections must be taken after the oil arrives.