Pietenpol-List: Re: Short version safety lecture on solvent safety and

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Pietenpol-List: Re: Short version safety lecture on solvent safety and

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Original Posted By: "Cuy, Michael D. (GRC-RXD0)[ASRC Aerospace Corporation]"
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Short version safety lecture on solvent safety andhazard potentialOkay sports fans, the easiest and most reliable source of information when handling any chemical substance is the MSDS there it will tell you exactly what PPE is essential plus having a hefty margin of safety built in due to liability issues. Additionally you can go directly to the glove manufacturer and there you will find a table where you can look up solvent resistantgloves by type of compound and solvent class which will provide a wear recommendation and rating. Skin absorption is typically under identified and underestimated, however inhalation although most insidious provides a rather tell tale odor which one can easily be desensitized to. If you're really interested in preventing exposure to organic vapors you need to provide levels of protection. First off is ventilation fumes that are not there cant affect you, next is PPE eye protection, respirator, gloves and protective aprons and clothing making certain to keep all beverage containers closed and food stuffs out of the area to avoid contamination and ingestion as a potential route of entry. Next and equally important is your knowledge, the MSDS contains a section on health effects in which it describes adverse health effects in acute and chronic exposures. Solvents are typified by acute exposures as the symptomatically illustrating how you will feel if and when you are over exposedto organic solvents. Real important stuff, if you start to get a buzz you need to get out and into fresh air quickly and do not return to the area until the fumes have had a chance to dissipate any your feeling of euphoria has bee reduced to less than the hangover headache. Enclosed spaces are dangerous.Beyond their toxic effects organic solvents have another little nasty that accompanies it. Flammability and explosiveity, The is a window of opportunity in heavily ladened solvent environments its called lel and uel thoseare the airborne concentration percentages in the upper and lower ranges of explosive environments. Below the lel not enough fuel above the uel too much fuel and not enough oxygen and in the middle any ignition source will ignite the explosive mixture. So be careful of the fire potential ignited willhave an adverse acute effect and will eliminate any possibility of your suffering the chronic effects. Sorry for the lecture, I usually do it in a 4 hour program with slides, pictures and entertaining stories.Short version.JohnIn a message dated 9/2/2010 3:52:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, aviatorbell(at)yahoo.com writes:Be careful with using latex gloves and mek. Mek WILL go right through those latex gloves like they're not even there. I learned that the hard way years ago at work one night. We had to clean off all the engine placards (decals) and stincill and paint them on. Scrubbing with shop rags and MEK our hands were burning like a SOB. Untill we were told by an old timer, thatmek, permiates right on through the latex (even tried 3 layers of gloves). They will help keep the sticky mess off of you but don't rely on them to keep all those carsinigens (spelling) out of your liver. The heavy green (butal rubber?) gloves are what I use when cleaning with mek now. Realistically, if you are gluing, painting sealing etc and not dipping your handsin raw mek, or a rag soaked with mek you are probably not at a high exposure. Ten years ago I used to bathe in MEK to get pro seal off my hands andarms, when "gloves were for sissies", older and wiser now.Shad(http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Pietenpol-List) (http://www.matronics.com/contribution) ________________________________________________________________________________
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