Chemical Exposure Discussion

[BoKu]

In our shop, rule one is to never touch epoxy. Given enough exposure, everyone would become sensitized. We wear gloves and aprons and long sleeves. If you ever find epoxy anywhere on your skin, you down tools immediately, wipe off with vinegar then soap and water, and get new gloves and if necessary clean clothes before returning to work. After 20 years I'm still at it, and nobody I've worked with has shown serious sensitivity--yet.

Actually, that's not completely true. None of the original HP Akafliegers will work with the old EPON 815+TETA mix anymore, it turns our eyes bloodshot after an hour or two. We now call that mix "redeye" and avoid it like the plague.

Actually, that's not completely true either; the pandemic has taught us that a disturbing percentage of the population doesn't avoid plagues.

 

[canardlover]

I distinctly remember my HS Auto Shop teacher's first aid remedy for an open wound - clean with MEK and wrap a shop towel around the wound to soak up the blood.

Times have changed!

CHEMICAL CAUTERIZATION !!! And it feels so good !!

 

[canardlover]

In our shop, rule one is to never touch epoxy. Given enough exposure, everyone would become sensitized. We wear gloves and aprons and long sleeves. If you ever find epoxy anywhere on your skin, you down tools immediately, wipe off with vinegar then soap and water, and get new gloves and if necessary clean clothes before returning to work. After 20 years I'm still at it, and nobody I've worked with has shown serious sensitivity--yet.

Actually, that's not completely true. None of the original HP Akafliegers will work with the old EPON 815+TETA mix anymore, it turns our eyes bloodshot after an hour or two. We now call that mix "redeye" and avoid it like the plague.

Actually, that's not completely true either; the pandemic has taught us that a disturbing percentage of the population doesn't avoid plagues.

Bob, I remember the good old Shell resin system well, nasty stuff. It would make me look like an Albino Racoon, swollen puffy red eye areas and white face all around them, The "Good Old Days", not!!!!

 

[Dana]

Some things absolutely require PPE for the amateur and professional both, while other things are more a a cumulative risk, where an occasional bit on your skin in your hangar or garage isn't a big deal but if you deal with it every day you better take precautions.

 

[Hephaestus]

Never ever make snide comments about someone's PPE choice. Some have learned the hard way.

Think about the consequences of the words you speak...

Saying someone shouldn't use protective equipment to prevent a easily controlled exposure - by use of that PPE - isn't ok.

Aviation is supposed to be that "safety first" attitude... This isn't that - some people need to re-evaluate their attitudes IMHO. This thread comes from someone choosing to wear gloves - not a freaking space suit... We should be applauding the correct choice - not criticizing.

 

[pylon500]

I had an uncle that worked on 'de-seal re-seal' with the F111, lots of MEK, confined spaces, even JetA1, ended up with numerous small cancers being removed and a medical dischage, before dying at 65 a weak, scrawny old man.
My biggest miss-understanding was 'industrial deafness'. I just thought it meant slowly losing your hearing and needing hearing aid amplifiers to hear stuff.
I actually learnt the reality watching a Simpsons episode!

Yep, summer cicada sound 24/7.
The (not so) funny bit is that one of the frequencies I lost is exactly the range of the turn indicators in my car
"Look at that crazy old (I'm 62!) coot, driving along with his indicator going..."

 

[Clark Hinds]

I am reminded of my father in the early 1960's demonstrating how "we wash electric motors off in carbon tetrachloride". Sure worked good. It was used in fire extinguishers too.

 

[stanislavz]

It is ok to use bare hand with raw/crude oil (just part of original "natural" oil distilled, without any additives.) I do some lathe work, and all lubrication up here is done by this "crude oil" due to impossible of isolating worker from it. Especially mist/ wapors

Not ok for any modern car oils ones...

And epoxy is kind of delicate one question - was visiting LAk factory - no respirators, just better ventilation. Working with L resin system. For mesyelf - i do always wear respirator + minimum hand work with epoxy - or vacuum infusion or work between two sheet of plastic.

BTW - in eu, it is from 2018 or 2019 ban for open layups in epoxy industry.

 

[Kiwi303]

Farming wise I deal with a number of toxins, this last few weeks has had me spraying about 200 litres ( 55 US Gal, 44 Imerial gal) ish of various mixes by 15 litre backpack. a couple of pack loads each day around other jobs.

Best practice is dolled up in coveralls with eyegoggles, respirator mask and gloves.

All I do is wear absorbent cotton to sop any leaks up and hold it away from my skin and have a shower as soon as that job is done, even if it's not the end of the work day yet.

Most of the really bad stuff is gone these days, I remember clearing out my grandmothers garage after she died in the early 00's and finding cans of 30 year old 2-4-5-T under the bench, it was a hassle at the refuse centre to get that accepted as hazardous waste for incineration, yet in her day it was just an ordinary weedkiller, Mum recalled her using DDT, just dusting it over the cabbages when the butterflies got to busy.

Life has changed now.

 

[Hephaestus]

It is ok to use bare hand with raw/crude oil (just part of original "natural" oil distilled, without any additives.) I do some lathe work, and all lubrication up here is done by this "crude oil" due to impossible of isolating worker from it. Especially mist/ wapors

(none)

(none)

www.ccohs.ca

You understand modern lathes have sliding doors and connect to a ventilation system...



Brave new world - we weren't allowed to spill a drop of oil on the ground. The paperwork if you fail is tremendous. Trays under the trucks/mobile equipment. The new world says where there's a will there's a way.

 

[Tiger Tim]

Chemical exposure aside, I keep a good stock of nitrile gloves in my garage just because it’s nice and tidy. I can peel them off to use my clean, dry hands any time I need to handle a manual or pick up the phone or whatever.

 

[stanislavz]

You understand modern lathes have sliding doors and connect to a ventilation system...

Tell it to my Harrison vs330 they are older than me.

 

[SuperSpinach]

You understand modern lathes have sliding doors and connect to a ventilation system...

That's a good point. We often forget to wear respiratory PPE despite it being one of the most important.

I worked on huge CNC High Speed Milling machines that produced a thick cloud of cutting oil vapors (carcinogenic).
We were told to wait for the ventilation system to completely filter the air inside the machine before opening the front doors. Yet none of us did and every time we would enter the machine without respirators.
Now that I think about it, it was retarded. But back then we were pressured to get the parts out as quick as possible and wearing a respiration in a 35°C workshop was annoying...

Same for all the solvents. We used the "best" aeronautical solvent. It would remove anything from paint to fuel tank sealer (and that sealer could probably withstand a nuclear blast ). Most of my colleagues wouldn't wear PPE when handling it. (I, for once, did wear a mask as the vapors would make me dizzy after a few minutes of exposure)

Gloves are important when handling chemicals but we shouldn't forget about our lungs and more importantly our brain.

 

[BJC]

Eye protection should be used for many things, but especially when handling MEKP, which is used to catalize vinylester resin.


BJC

 

[trimtab]

Turbine lubricants typically contain tricresyl phosphate. They get a waiver to do so....because it's a potent neurotoxin that can cause temporary, permanent, or fatal effects for some persons even in small amounts.

Unfortunately, MMO also has it.

And the fire from the Denver 777 GE90 engine fire the other day .....was a turbine oil fire, and the risk of getting that smoke into the cabin was very high on the list of objections before the oil was approved for use in the 777.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

You understand modern lathes have sliding doors and connect to a ventilation system...

I have a '60's Graziano lathe and until now I thought it was modern......

 

[Hephaestus]

I have a '60's Graziano lathe and until now I thought it was modern......

If your tools predate seatbelts in cars...

There might be a safety improvement or 3 that should be considered

Or YMBAR

 

[Victor Bravo]

tricresyl phosphate.

Unfortunately, MMO also has it.

Marvel Mystery Oil has this stuff in it? I use MMO fairly often in airplane gas, works very well. Are you telling me that it is harmful if ingested, or a drop on my skin, or breathing smoke from it burning... or what?

 

[Matt G.]

Marvel Mystery Oil has this stuff in it? I use MMO fairly often in airplane gas, works very well. Are you telling me that it is harmful if ingested, or a drop on my skin, or breathing smoke from it burning... or what?

Yep...here's the SDS.

 

[gtae07]

Chemical exposure aside, I keep a good stock of nitrile gloves in my garage just because it’s nice and tidy. I can peel them off to use my clean, dry hands any time I need to handle a manual or pick up the phone or whatever.

THIS. I don’t mind getting dirty, but the gloves make getting clean so much easier and faster... and they keep your dirty, oily fingers from leaving residue on your nice clean parts/walls/etc., too.

We buy nitrile ones two boxes at at time from Sam’s (best deal going). Uses are endless. I use them in the shop, for cleaning the bathroom, for food prep if I have open cuts/bandages on my hand from being in the shop, for painting walls... even made a squishy ball from a glove and a couple washcloths when my wife was in the hospital, so she could do some hand exercises. The therapists loved it.