Along these lines, this is from the VTR pages on
painting, written by a good friend of mine who knows
his doo-doo. This guy is a really good guy, even
though he once gave me a Spitfire:
Gas Masks for Automotive Painting
by Scott Cypher
-------------------------------------------------------
>From working with Hazardous Chemicals (Alcohols, to
Freons, to Carcinogens, to Nerve Gas), I agree with
the recommendatons that are given by paint sales
representatives as to the extreme dangers involved
with automotive painting.
Full Face vs. 1/2 mask. Gaseous vapors enter the body
through many routes. Your eyes are particulary
vulnerable. There is a great opportunity to scar your
eyes from repeated exposure to volatile chemicals,
that make your eyes "numb" to paint fumes. (If you
wear contacts, you could "melt" the contacts while
they are in your eyes) I know a great many car
painters that never protected their eyes, and now
poo-poo full face respirators because they "don't feel
it" anymore.
Charcoal canisters absorb many vapors, expecially H20.
Leaving respirators in unsealed containers (i.e. not a
Zip Loc baggie) does prematurely wear out a set of
chemical filters. Yes, the true test is inhaling above
a KNOWN smelly source, and seeing is believing if you
smell it. Do NOT use a mask that passes chemical
odors.
However, smelling it is not necessarily an indicator
of bad filters. It could be a poorly fit, or badly
sealed mask, hence the need to keep your mask clean
and in good repair. There are methods to check mask
integrity, and sealability (which I won't go into now,
emailme if you want details) when you fit up. I
recommend to anyone using a chemical mask, get the
proper training on usage, from someone familiar with
working with truly hazardous/deadly chemicals. It is
far too easy to ignore this potential that exists to
"save time" or convenience. You might avoid acute
exposure, but since many of these chemicals and/or
carcinogens are less than 30 years old, chronic (long
term) effects of repeated exposures are not documented
nor studied.
Please, as someone who worked with FOOLS and was a
fool for six years, don't paint without a respirator,
and don't use a respirator without training from a
certified expert. You might not truly know, but are
you willing to risk your life? You might have already.
Think about it, like the GIs affected by Agent orange
tests, or the atomic bomb. They were OK for quite
awhile, but then things got worse. Do you want that to
happen to you? If nothing else, don't trivialize the
impact chemicals can have. If you don't have the data
to support one view over the other, don't advocate one
over other. I would err to the side of caution, rather
than err at all.
Scott R.Cypher
--- type79@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Listers,
> Below is a message that was posted on the "Healey
> List". I asked, and
> Dick said I could forward this to this list for
> everyone's information.
> Jay F.
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: asbestos
> Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 11:54:14 -0500 (EST)
> From: dickb@cheerful.com
> Reply-To: dickb@cheerful.com
>
>
> Not directly related to asbestos, But every time I
> read something like
> this thread I am compelled to talk about lung
> disease and Respirators.
>
> I am 65, anda lawyer, But I have restored half a
> dozen LBCs and painted
> three of those. I.E., I have done a fair amount of
> sanding and grinding
> on old paint and primer and bondo and a somewhat
> lesser amount of
> playing around with paint, hardner, thinner and the
> like.
>
> Seven years ago, during a routine chest xray, I was
> referred for a CAT
> scan and was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung
> Disease/Pulmonary
> Fibrosis. I have had semi-annual pulmonary function
> tests since then -
> each a little worse than the last. So far I'm not
> dragging around an
> oxygen tank but it's probably only a matter of time.
>
> The Pulmonary Dr. told me that the lung condition I
> have is typical for
> auto bodyshop workers, and is probably a result of
> inhaling the volatile
> solvents and the dust to say nothing of the
> isocyonates that are in auto
> paints and catalytic hardners.
>
> I take my Pulmonary Function test at my local VA
> hospital and the other
> guys being tested range in age from 30-70 and most
> of them were in the
> Navy and had their share of scraping paint off the
> sides of ships.
>
> Bottom line ----
>
> PLEASE DON'T DO ANYTHING AROUND GAS FUMES OR
> EXHAUST FUMES OR WORK ON
> PAINTED SURFACES THAT MIGHT RELEASE PAINT DUST OR
> BONDO DUST OR DO ANY
> PRIMING OR PAINTING OR SANDING OR EVEN BUFFING ON
> YOUR LBC
>
> *******WITHOUT WEARING AN APPROVED RESPIRATOR WITH
> FRESH
> CARTRIDGES*******
>
> Such a respirator costs less than $40 at your local
> paint supplier and
> the cartidges are about $15-20. The cartridges get
> consumed while they
> are just hanging in your garage so don't be lulled
> into a false sense of
> security just because you have an old respirator on
> your face.
>
> I'm sorry to run on like this but none of us think
> much of doing a
> little painting or sanding "on the run" so to speak.
> We shouldn't - we
> all have only one set of lungs.
>
> DickB
>
> ---- you wrote:
> > Alan,
> >
> > As observed by another couple of members, lung
> diseases caused by inhaling
> > asbestos fibers generally require a more prolonged
> and/or concentrated
> > exposure than that you describe. However, there
> are documented cases which
> > appear to have been caused by atypical shorter or
> less concentrated
> > exposures. There are experts who advise that an
> exposure even such as you
> > describe would call for lifelong medical
> monitoring. The position of the US
> > government now can reliably be stated to say that
> there is no safe level of
> > exposure.
> >
> > Fifteen years is a relatively short period of time
> compared to latency
> > periods typically seen in patients with
> asbestos-related lung diseases. It
> > is probably more usual to see symptoms first
> observed as long as 30 or 40
> > years after exposure ends. Today, for example, we
> still see asbestosis
> > recently manifest in persons whose last known
> exposure was aboard ship
> > during World War II -- seamen who did not work
> "hands-on" with asbestos but
> > were only exposed to the asbestos-laden atmosphere
> aboard warships and
> > merchant vessels of that time.
> >
> > So, while it would appear unlikely that your one
> instance of limited
> > exposure would lead to a problem, as in the case
> of any other person a chest
> > x-ray every year or two is a very good idea. If
> exposure to asbestos is
> > suspected the x-ray should be read by a
> radiologist competent to recognize
> > the signs of an asbestos-related lung disease. A
> pulmonary function test on
> > an occasional basis may be in order. If you are,
> or once were, a smoker,
> > your concern should be heightened. The onset of
> shortness of breath should
> > also heighten your concern.
> >
> > Your question is the kind which should be
> discussed with your doctor. While
> > the chances of your having a problem may be slim,
> mesothelioma is a horrid
> > and invariably fatal disease. Although I have
> been involved in literally
> > thousands of lawsuits alleging a disease caused by
> exposure to asbestos,
> > neither I nor any other layman should be depended
> upon for medical advice
> > such as you seek.
> >
> > I do not wish to cause you or any other person
> undue concern, but I felt
> > compelled to state the other side as I felt some
> comments you have received
> > from other quarters did not state the other side.
> >
> > All the best,
> >
> > Jim Brown
> > Houston
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Alan Dahl <adahl@eskimo.com>
> > To: <british-cars@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 5:41 PM
> > Subject: asbestos
> >
> >
> > > I am on the digest, please reply personally to
> this account if at all
> > > possible, thank you.
> > >
> > > Years ago I had a 1978 Midget. The engine block
> was toast so I instead
> > > installed the engine out of a '76 Spitfire. The
> emissions controls in '76
> > > were different which required me to remove some
> of the '78 emissions
> > > devices. Somewhere in the system, perhaps on the
> EGR valve, there was a
> > > short pipe covered by a white substance most
> likely for heat-reduction.
> > >
> > > Can anyone tell me if this substance contains
> asbestos fibers? It crumbled
> > > when damaged and sent fibers into the air. While
> I most likely did not
> > > breath much of it (I got away quickly) some of
> it probably was inhaled and
> > > landed on my clothes/hands.
> > >
> > > With all the alarms going off these days WRT
> asbestos exposure it would be
> > > good to know if I have any risk factors or not.
> It's been 15 years and
> > > there have been no symptoms but if this stuff is
> the real thing it would
> > be
> > > nice to know that I need to keep an eye on
> things.
> > >
> > > Also for those of you who are British car nuts
> what other asbestos risks
> > > are there besides the well-known brake pads and
> clutch
=== message truncated ===
=====
Ron Soave
"Here we are now, entertain us!"
IGNORE THE YAHOO MESSAGE BELOW!!!!!
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