Understanding the Maximum Safe Handling Temperatures of bitumen webinar

Bitumen is usually handled hot and there is therefore a potential risk of burns and emissions, but these hazards can be safely managed by ensuring the bitumen does not exceed the maximum safe handling temperature, by following safety procedures and by wearing suitable PPE.

Eurobitume Technical Lead Dr Ian Lancaster began the webinar with a brief overview of Eurobitume, its membership, mission and values, and the next E&E Event in 2026. He also acknowledged the important role played in this area by Eurobitume’s Safe Handling of Bitumen Sub-Committee and thanked Eurobitume HSE Lead Dr Anja Sörensen for her input into preparing materials for this webinar.

He then explained that as bitumen’s temperature increases, the quantity of emissions increases, emission composition changes and the severity of burns should bitumen come into contact with the skin increases too.

As a result, Eurobitume and its members advise that the maximum safe handling temperatures for different types of bitumen are:

• 200°C for bitumen and air-rectified bitumen
• 230°C for severely oxidised bitumen.

Ian explained the various risk reduction strategies that are available and advised that Eurobitume has produced a comprehensive set of valuable safety guidance, information and documents, which are available from the Eurobitume website – www.eurobitume.eu.

A video of this webinar is available from the Education and Training / Webinars page of the Eurobitume website, alongside videos of other free educational webinars developed and delivered by Eurobitume.

Eurobitume’s sixth open to all webinar will focus upon understanding the Rheology of Bitumen, and will take place on Wednesday 13^th November.

If you would like to attend this free educational webinar, a registration page will go live on the Eurobitume website in October.