cleaning epoxy with vinegar
Michael Colfer
I know we discussed this at length some time ago, but I thought I would
toss out an interesting observation about it. I use vinegar not only for
cleaning hands, but for brushes as well (and whatever else I might want
to clean off before the epoxy sets up). It is amazing what a good job it
does. The other day I had a bit of epoxy left over in a container which
'set up' quickly - smoke and all. The brush was almost solid when I
dropped it into a jar of vinegar. Two hours later it was pliable again.
But the interesting point I wanted to mention is this: distilled white
vinegar works cleaner than the red. I am currently using red vinegar
(distilled) and it leaves a reddish goo on the brush tip which must be
cleaned off. However, the red vinegar seems to work better on my hands
than the white. Cool, huh? I can't believe I spent all those years
buying solvents !!
Michael Colfer
Whidbey Island
Chris Crandall
Michael Colfer (col...@whidbey.com) wrote:
: I know we discussed this at length some time ago, but I thought I would
: cleaning hands, but for brushes as well (and whatever else I might want
: to clean off before the epoxy sets up).
This is a reminder that the epoxy vendors warn against using vinegar to
clean epoxy off of bare skin.
The chemical results of the epoxy/vinegar reaction are considered to be of
unknown, but potentially more dangerous, risk than epoxy alone. The
compounds are believed to be more able to penetrate the skin.
Soap and warm water are still the 2nd protection, and proper gloves, etc.,
are still the first line.
-Chris
Mark Anderson
Chris Crandall <cran...@stat1.cc.ukans.edu> wrote:
> This is a reminder that the epoxy vendors warn against using vinegar to
> clean epoxy off of bare skin.
>
> The chemical results of the epoxy/vinegar reaction are considered to be of
> unknown, but potentially more dangerous, risk than epoxy alone. The
> compounds are believed to be more able to penetrate the skin.
Do you know of any evidence supporting this, or is it a case, "we don't
know, so we'll say it's bad."?
FWIW, vinegar itself is considered non-toxic on skin, and is commonly
used to help your body fight skin infections because lots of pathogenic
bacteria don't live well in an acidic environment. It's generally
diluted, (e.g. about 1 part in 4) and used to irrigate ears, and other
orifices. The skin is naturally somewhat acidic..... Therefore, I'm
looking for evidence of what bad happens with epoxy. Also FWIW, I've
been using it for hand cleaning when I get epoxy on my skin for years
and havent' noticed any personal problems.
--
Mark Anderson
Riparia
"The trouble with good ideas is that they soon degenerate
into a lot of hard work" - Anon.
Paul and Cindy Kruse
ande...@teleport.com (Mark Anderson) wrote:
< Chris Crandall <cran...@stat1.cc.ukans.edu> wrote:
< > This is a reminder that the epoxy vendors warn against using vinegar to
< > clean epoxy off of bare skin.
< >
< > The chemical results of the epoxy/vinegar reaction are considered to be of
< > unknown, but potentially more dangerous, risk than epoxy alone. The
< > compounds are believed to be more able to penetrate the skin.
< Do you know of any evidence supporting this, or is it a case, "we don't
< know, so we'll say it's bad."?
[snip]
Check out the Deja News archives. Kern posted a very excellent article on this
some time ago. I seem to remember him giving a very good rationale for not
using vinegar to clean epoxy off the skin. If you still have questions after
reading it, send him a note and ask him another question.
While I do monitor this newsgroup, my server is
famous for losing Usenet articles. If you reply to
this posting, please also route a copy to me via E-mail.
Have a great day,
plk...@iu.net (Paul Kruse)
MARK KING
In article <1997071320...@ip-pdx15-11.teleport.com>,
ande...@teleport.com says...
>
>Chris Crandall <cran...@stat1.cc.ukans.edu> wrote:
>
>> This is a reminder that the epoxy vendors warn against using vinegar to
>> clean epoxy off of bare skin.
>>
>> The chemical results of the epoxy/vinegar reaction are considered to be
of
>> unknown, but potentially more dangerous, risk than epoxy alone. The
>> compounds are believed to be more able to penetrate the skin.
>
>Do you know of any evidence supporting this, or is it a case, "we don't
>know, so we'll say it's bad."?
>
>used to help your body fight skin infections because lots of pathogenic
>Mark Anderson
>Riparia
>"The trouble with good ideas is that they soon degenerate
>into a lot of hard work" - Anon.
............. yes i think you can get into alot of trouble using arguments
like this, the chemicals formed by vinegar and epoxy are likely to be very
interesting, un- researched and conceivably carcinogenic, or perhaps
involved in parkinsons disease, typhoid or time travel. Personally i would
prefer a few minutes exposure to the vinegar mix than sticky hands and a few
hours/days exposure to epoxy . it reminds me of the local council here that
is no longer using alum for treating town water, because of un-answered
questions about its health effects - they have replaced it with iron
compounds ( for which little research has been done - and therefore no one
has asked the questions - yet )
--
MARK KING
1wife,2jobs,3hulls,4kids (fully upgradable - 4 hulls don't scare me anyway)
Email: mk...@seqeb.gov.au
Ralph Brown
FWIW I use a hand cleaner (Simple Orange) with great success on fresh
epoxy. OTOH I have no idea what it's by products are either.
Ralph
Chris Crandall
: ............. yes i think you can get into alot of trouble using arguments
: interesting, un- researched and conceivably carcinogenic, or perhaps
: involved in parkinsons disease, typhoid or time travel. Personally i would
: prefer a few minutes exposure to the vinegar mix than sticky hands and a few
: hours/days exposure to epoxy . it reminds me of the local council here that
: is no longer using alum for treating town water, because of un-answered
: questions about its health effects - they have replaced it with iron
: compounds ( for which little research has been done - and therefore no one
: has asked the questions - yet )
It's not the same. Kern Hendricks of System3 posted a reply some time
ago, stating that vinegar and epoxy combine to form a particular chemical
compound, the name of which I forget, which is *known* to penetrate the
skin better than uncured epoxy. They have very good reason to suspect
that this compound is dangerous, given good data on similar compounds.
You are very welcome to take this chance. But don't you think it would be
a lot smarter not to get it on your hands in the first place?
-Chris
Dana Dickson
I searched DejaNews under Kern Hendricks name, epoxy and vinegar, and
various other combinations and did not find the posting you refer to. I
did find where Kern H. said he did not have any data on epoxy and
vinegar toxicity, where he recommended soap and water, where he did not
recommend using acetone, and where he recommended using gloves and other
personal protective equipment to avoid skin contact.
Dana Dickson
One more comment copied from System 3 Epoxy techincal support FAQ
Quote:
If I do get epoxy on my skin what is the best way
to remove it?
Never use solvent to remove the epoxy
from your skin. Solvents will help drive it
into your body. If the epoxy is fresh wash
it off with vinegar followed by soap and
warm water. If it is partially cured it is
best to let it cure and remove it the next
day. Epoxy does not stick well to oily
skin and hair.
Unquote.
Mrkowal
Why did Ken say not to use ascetone? I do try to keep hands and all
covered but sometines "*&#* happens." I always used acetone to clean up.
Will I develop something I don't want? Bye, John
edecker@spam_supressor
On 24 Jul 1997 15:32:28 GMT, cran...@stat1.cc.ukans.edu (Chris
Crandall) wrote:
>>: ............. yes i think you can get into alot of trouble using arguments
>>: like this, the chemicals formed by vinegar and epoxy are likely to be very
>>: interesting, un- researched and conceivably carcinogenic, or perhaps
>>: involved in parkinsons disease, typhoid or time travel. Personally i would
>>: prefer a few minutes exposure to the vinegar mix than sticky hands and a few
>>: hours/days exposure to epoxy . it reminds me of the local council here that
>>: is no longer using alum for treating town water, because of un-answered
>>: questions about its health effects - they have replaced it with iron
>>: compounds ( for which little research has been done - and therefore no one
>>: has asked the questions - yet )
>>: MARK KING
>>
>>It's not the same. Kern Hendricks of System3 posted a reply some time
>>ago, stating that vinegar and epoxy combine to form a particular chemical
>>compound, the name of which I forget, which is *known* to penetrate the
>>skin better than uncured epoxy. They have very good reason to suspect
>>that this compound is dangerous, given good data on similar compounds.
>>
>>You are very welcome to take this chance. But don't you think it would be
>>a lot smarter not to get it on your hands in the first place?
>>
>>-Chris
Check the FAQ at System Three. They SPECIFICALY say to use vinegar
to clean epoxy from skin as solvent will drive it deeper into the
skin.
J. Mark Lane
I must have missed the original post here, but my understanding is that
acetone is basically nothing more than a skin irritant. I used it like
it was water (have for . . . 20 years), and I seem to be fine (except
mentally, perhaps relevant). Seriously, Practical Sailor did a piece a
year or so ago, and others I have read have also concluded that the
danger of acetone is much overrated. I hope they are right . . . .
Mark Lane
Nicholas Carey
On 27 Jul 1997 17:20:35 GMT, mrk...@aol.com (Mrkowal) wrote:
>Why did Ken say not to use ascetone? I do try to keep hands and all
>covered but sometines "*&#* happens." I always used acetone to clean up.
>Will I develop something I don't want? Bye, John
Err...that would be because acetone is a *very* high quality solvent
and skin transport agent (eg, stuff dissolved in acetone is carried
directly through the skin and into the bloodstream.) Never use acetone
to clean paint or anything else off your skin either.
N.
J. Mark Lane
Err...I'm no scientist, but I do not think the above statement is
accurate. My understanding (albeit as a complete layperson on these
matters) is that acetone generally will evaporate into the air before it
will go beneath the surface layers of your skin. In the few pieces I
have read on the safety or hazards of acetone, I have never seen anyone
suggest that it can actually carry items "through the skin into the
bloodstream." I suppose it is conceivable if you literally soaked your
hand in the stuff (I mean as in holding it in there for an hour or
something). But -- and PLEASE someone correct me if I am wrong, because
I use the stuff constantly -- I have come to believe that acetone is not
particulary hazardous and is hardly more than a skin irritant. I use it
to clean paint off myself all the time.
Mark Lane
Mark Anderson
Mrkowal <mrk...@aol.com> wrote:
> Why did Ken say not to use ascetone? I do try to keep hands and all
> covered but sometines "*&#* happens." I always used acetone to clean up.
> Will I develop something I don't want? Bye, John
Acetone is very harsh on the skin as it dissolves the fat out of the
skin cells, and the oil off the skin. Local reactions can occur. Don't
use it regularly, but don't freak out at the occasional use or contact.
--
Mrkowal
Point taken....John
KernHend
"J. Mark Lane" <jml...@erols.com> wrote (in part):
>>But -- and PLEASE someone correct me if I am wrong, because
I use the stuff constantly -- I have come to believe that acetone is not
particulary hazardous and is hardly more than a skin irritant. I use it
to clean paint off myself all the time.<<
OK, now it is time to step back and look at the forest rather than the
individual trees as many have done on this thread over the past several
weeks. Here is our position on the subject:
Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
skin contact. If contact occurs then wipe the resin off with a clean
towel avoiding smearing it into clean areas. Wash the contacted area with
soap and water several times until clean. We do not recommend routinely
using vinegar - it simply reacts with the amines present in the hardener
to produce salts which then emulisfy the resin (no different than soap and
water which is less harsh). We especially do not recommend using acetone
or MEK because ketones react with amines to form ketoamines the toxicity
of which has not been well studied.
W. Kern Hendricks
System Three Resins, Inc.
Seattle, WA 98107
Technical Support: 206/782-7976
Orders Only: 800/333-5514
FAX: 206/782-4426
e-mail: sup...@systemthree.com
web site: http://www.systemthree.com
David Cockey
I've also heard that acetone acts as a solvent to carry disolved resin into
the skin, and that acetone by itself will dry skin by disolving some of the
fat from it. Even if nothong more toxic is formed by the reaction of the
acetone and epoxy, this has been enough to put me off using acetone on
skin.
KernHend <kern...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19970801153...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
J. Mark Lane
KernHend wrote:
>
> Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
> amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
> skin contact.
Kern, what does this mean? I read it over and over and I still don't
have a clue. Am I just stupid? (OK, don't answer that.) Seriously,
"skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care? My
hands are a mess. The hands of most people who work with their hands
are a mess. So? Unless someone can convince me of something concrete
-- like if I use acetone my hands will fall off or something -- then I'm
gonna keep using it (I know, why should you care, right?). All I hear
is a lot of nonsense. And nobody has ever said anything that convinced
me that acetone is really hazardous.
> We especially do not recommend using acetone
> or MEK because ketones react with amines to form ketoamines the toxicity
> of which has not been well studied.
>
Ditto. Um, what?
Help, please interpret. We're not all scientists out here.
Mark Lane
(Small time boat builder/restorer with a liberal arts background who
believes life on this planet is short and shouldn't be spent with
needless worries....)
Glenn Ashmore
J. Mark Lane wrote:
>
> KernHend wrote:
> >
> > Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
> > amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
> > skin contact.
>
> Kern, what does this mean? I read it over and over and I still don't
> have a clue. Am I just stupid? (OK, don't answer that.) Seriously,
> "skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care? My
> hands are a mess. The hands of most people who work with their hands
> are a mess. So? Unless someone can convince me of something concrete
> -- like if I use acetone my hands will fall off or something -- then I'm
> gonna keep using it (I know, why should you care, right?). All I hear
> is a lot of nonsense. And nobody has ever said anything that convinced
> me that acetone is really hazardous.
You better listen and reconsider. Epoxy sensitivity builds up slowly
over time and is pretty well permanent. You will not notice it until it
is too late. It is different for everyone, but eventualy it will
happen. You'll get a Gawd awful rash like atheletes foot of the hand.
It is not restricted to your hands either. Your whole body will itch.
Acetone BY IT SELF is fairly benign. But washing epoxy off your skin
with acetone just thins the resen and lets it soak deeper into your
skin. It would be safer to let it set and chip it off. I insist that
everyone in my shed wear 6 mil nitril disposable gloves when working
with epoxy and clean up with a citrus based hand cleaner like Fast
Orange or the stuff GUNK makes. The gloves cost about $.50/pair and are
cheap prevention.
I also require that everyone wear dust masks when sanding. Not the
little paper things but the real cartrige type. The dust has the same
effect on your lungs.
The designer of my boat is chief engeneer for a GRP boat builder. Used
to spend a lot of time laying up plugs and molds. He is now so
sensitive that he can't even walk into the laminating area. He even
reacts to the epoxy sanding dust. He has to check layups via video
tape.
Glenn
RJames8634
I used to clean my hands with vinegar until I heard about the dangers
involved and I found "Fast Orange". Fast Orange cleans epoxy off your
hands faster and safer than anything else I have tried. It is available in
most auto parts stores. The stuff cleans paint and grease off your hands
just as well. It is also the only substance I have found that takes soap
scum off my shower stall.
Charles Crosby
J. Mark Lane (jml...@erols.com) wrote:
: KernHend wrote:
: >
: > Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
: > amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
: > skin contact.
: Kern, what does this mean? I read it over and over and I still don't
: have a clue. Am I just stupid? (OK, don't answer that.) Seriously,
: "skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care? My
Skin sensitization from epoxy means waking up at 2 am with an indescribably
uncomfortable "hot itch" on your hands. Alternately plunging your hands
into very hot and very cold water helps. A little bit. For a short while.
I havn't experienced it yet, but seeing the effect on other people was
enough to make me much more careful than I had been in the past. The
problem is that the sensitivity builds up gradually to a critical level.
You can use the stuff carelessly for a long time, and then ZAP! one day
you've got it. Pretty much for life.
--
Charles Crosby Ph: (27)-(0)-12-4202861 (w)
Dept of Mech and Aero Eng (27)-(0)-12-3451586 (h)
University of Pretoria, South Africa Fax:(27)-(0)-12-436540
cro...@fanella.ee.up.ac.za, cro...@cpc.me.up.ac.za, meg...@upvm2.up.ac.za
J. Mark Lane
Glenn Ashmore wrote:
>
> J. Mark Lane wrote:
> >
> > KernHend wrote:
> > >
> > > Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
> > > amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
> > > skin contact.
> >
> > Kern, what does this mean? I read it over and over and I still don't
> > have a clue. Am I just stupid? (OK, don't answer that.) Seriously,
> > "skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care? My
Yikes. .... YIKES!! How come I never heard this before? Seriously,
this is a little frightening. I've been using acetone and epoxy for
.... um, I guess about 20 years. Now I'm afraid that any day now I'm
Mark Anderson
J. Mark Lane <jml...@erols.com> wrote:
> KernHend wrote:
> >
> > Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
> > amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
> > skin contact.
>
> Kern, what does this mean? ...
> "skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care?
Sensitization basically means that you've developed an allergy to the
stuff. Some people are more prone to develop allergies than others, but
some things are such effective sensitizers that virtually everyone will
develop allergies to them. A case in point is poison ivy/oak/sumac
rash. This is a contact skin allergy, and it's my understanding that
it's about the most common allergy in the world. Contact dermatitis,
i.e. skin allergy and inflamation is pretty darn similar regardless of
what the cause is. Hence, when you get sensitized to epoxy you should
get a rash that's very similar to poison oak/ivy/sumac. With increasing
sensitization it'll take less and less exposure to produce the response.
Can you relate to that?
--
Mark Anderson, M.D.
Mark Anderson
KernHend <kern...@aol.com> wrote:
> We do not recommend routinely
> using vinegar - it simply reacts with the amines present in the hardener
> to produce salts which then emulisfy the resin (no different than soap and
> water which is less harsh).
OK, a divergence. We'll protect our hands from all contact with epoxy
to the greatest reasonable extent.
Now, how about using vinegar to clean a cured epoxy surface of amine
blush or other residue preparatory for painting or varnishing? Case in
point. I washed an epoxied mahoghany plywood dinghy seat with water and
sanded, and washed. Applied varnish. Got crinkled and orange peeled
epoxy. Stripped it off. Washed, sanded, and washed with acetone.
Varnished. Same result. Stripped. Finally washed with vinegar
followed by acetone. Perfect varnish that still looks good over a year
later.
--
Mark Anderson
Brian Stephenson
J. Mark Lane wrote:
>
> Glenn Ashmore wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > KernHend wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Epoxy resins are can cause skin sensitization because they react with the
> > > > amino acids present in all proteins. For this reason one should avoid
> > > > skin contact.
> > >
> > > have a clue. Am I just stupid? (OK, don't answer that.) Seriously,
> > > "skin sensatization" . . . ? What's that? And why should I care? My
> > > hands are a mess. The hands of most people who work with their hands
> > > are a mess. So? Unless someone can convince me of something concrete
> > > -- like if I use acetone my hands will fall off or something -- then I'm
> > > gonna keep using it (I know, why should you care, right?). All I hear
> > > is a lot of nonsense. And nobody has ever said anything that convinced
> > > me that acetone is really hazardous.
> >
> > You better listen and reconsider. Epoxy sensitivity builds up slowly
> > over time and is pretty well permanent. You will not notice it until it
> > is too late. It is different for everyone, but eventualy it will
> > happen. You'll get a Gawd awful rash like atheletes foot of the hand.
> > It is not restricted to your hands either. Your whole body will itch.
> >
> > Acetone BY IT SELF is fairly benign. But washing epoxy off your skin
> > with acetone just thins the resen and lets it soak deeper into your
> > skin. It would be safer to let it set and chip it off.
would polyester resins possibly have the same effect or is it just the
epoxy we should be paranoid about. I don't use much epoxy but i sure
have washed a lot of polyester off my hands with acetone over the years!
John Thombs
A little bit of prevention can eliminate the problem of getting epoxy
on your skin. I have found that using some proective barrier cream
such as SBS 46 ( in the West Marine catalog with epoxy materials ) is
the answer to keeping it off your skin in the first place. It will
wash off your skin with soap and water. Use the disposable latex gloves
as the first line of defence against contact with the epoxy. Having just
about completed a mahogany boat that was built "cold molded" using
epoxy,( almost 5 - gallons of the stuff ) I think that my method smells
much better than vinegar!
Happy boatbuilding.
Dana Dickson
Polyester resin systems are known to cause sensitization in some people,
although they are less likely to do so than epoxies. The hardener in
polyester systems methylethylketone peroxide is a severe eye hazard,
that causes burns and possibly blindness from contact with relatively
small quantities. Polyester systems have compontents with much greater
evaporation potential, greater possiblity of inhalation, and greater
fire hazard. My point is that both resin systems are hazardous, if used
incorrectly or without the proper precautions. Prudent use of either
system calls for avoiding contact with the unreacted/partially reacted
resins, etc.
Dana Dickson MIS CIH CSP
Industrial Hygienist
KernHend wrote:
>
> Brian Stephenson <boa...@icom.ca> wrote:
>
> >>would polyester resins possibly have the same effect or is it just the
> >>epoxy we should be paranoid about. I don't use much epoxy but i sure
> >>have washed a lot of polyester off my hands with acetone over the years!
>
> There is noting significant in polyester resins that would cause
> sensitization like epoxy resins. However, the usual acetone precautions
> apply. They have been thoroughly discussed in this thread over the past
> several weeks.
>
Mark Anderson
KernHend <kern...@aol.com> wrote:
> We have no problem with using vinegar on a cured epoxy surface. Your
> experience (above) is a complete new one on me. Assuming good scientific
> method in your "tests" I'd have to say that the acetic acid in the vinegar
> neutralized the alkaline epoxy surface by reacting with the free amines.
> This allowed the varnish to properly dry probably by allowing the
> organo-metallic driers to work as designed. We do know that free amine
> inhibits these driers.
>
> I'd be interested in learning more details: whose epoxy, what varnish,
> timing, same acetone?, same sandpaper?, same method, etc.
Kern,
It was Gougeon 105/205. The acetone was basic lumber yard acetone,
(possibly Park's). The sandpaper was probably 3M aluminum oxide, 220
grit. The varnish was McClosky's BoatKote, a tung oil based varnish
with UV inhibitors. Between attempts the old varnish was removed with a
methylene chloride based paste paint remover, and then washed as
described.
Note: the epoxy mix may have been rich in hardener. Some months
later I had bonding weakness problems that I traced to excess hardener
due to poorly functioning pumps. The epoxy seemed hard but proved to be
weak on scarf joints. I can't really say whether the epoxy was missed
inaccurately at the time that I did the coating prior to the varnishing.
KernHend
Simon Wallace
ande...@teleport.com (Mark Anderson) wrote:
>
>Sensitization basically means that you've developed an allergy to the
>stuff. Some people are more prone to develop allergies than others, but
>some things are such effective sensitizers that virtually everyone will
>develop allergies to them. A case in point is poison ivy/oak/sumac
>rash. This is a contact skin allergy, and it's my understanding that
>it's about the most common allergy in the world. Contact dermatitis,
>i.e. skin allergy and inflamation is pretty darn similar regardless of
>what the cause is. Hence, when you get sensitized to epoxy you should
>get a rash that's very similar to poison oak/ivy/sumac. With increasing
>sensitization it'll take less and less exposure to produce the response.
> Can you relate to that?
>--
So that explains it! Thanks for mentioning that Mark. I've been
restoring a PWC for the last month or so on weekends. About 2-3 weeks
ago I developed a rash (I think it's dermatitis, it's red and the skin
is flaking) on 3 of my fingers on the right hand and a little on the
wrist. I've been using epoxy resin but I have been wearing gloves
when working with uncured resin. I hjaven't been wearing gloves when
sanding or grinding. I feel itchy on my forearms, back and shoulders
and my rash gets especially itchy after sanding and grinding the cured
epoxy.
I've used a lot of polyesters in the past without any side effects and
this is my first largish project with epoxy - I've worked with epoxy
only two or three times in the past and only on very small repairs.
So what you're saying is that nowadays I will get skin irritations a
lot earlier than in the past. Nice to know. How do professionals in
the epoxy field put up with this? Do they wear gloves whenever they
are working with epoxy whether it's cured or not?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Wallace, Sydney Australia, site of the 2000 Olympics
My opinions are mine, and they don't represent those of my employer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Anderson
Simon Wallace <sim...@zip.net.au> wrote:
> How do professionals in
> the epoxy field put up with this? Do they wear gloves whenever they
> are working with epoxy whether it's cured or not?
Fully cured epoxy should be fairly inert and not be an allergy problem.
It takes several days to a few weeks to fully cure. You could still get
dust related problems that are not mediated by allergy.
Sensitized professionals may need to leave the field, depending on the
severity. Otherwise, if *I* were sensitized, I would:
1) Be extremely careful about avoiding skin contact with raw epoxy
and over the first 2 weeks of curing.
2) Get a better dust mask, perhaps even shaving my beard to get a
better seal. I may even use a filtered air full hood. And I'd put in
forced ventilation in my shop.
3) Use a skin barrier cream in addition to double gloves.
4) Apply a steroid cream to any rash that does appear. I'd start
with the over the counter cortisone creams, e.g. 2% cortisone, and go up
from there with stronger (and more expensive) prescription creams.
5) If I had respiratory complaints, especially wheezing, I'd use a
steroid inhaler 2 or 3 times a day, e.g. Azmacort. This would be
supplemented with bronchodilator inhalers, e.g. Albuterol (Ventolin,
Proventil) for acute complaints, and I'd get out of there if having
acute complaints.
6) Finally, if I just had to keep working with the stuff, (e.g. to
finish my retirement boat), and the above wasn't enough, I'd start
taking oral steroids, e.g. Prednisone, knowing full well the risks of
these drugs, especially if taken long term.
I have no idea what you would do.
John Thombs
A little prevention is better than getting an allergic reaction. There
are barrier creams that can be applied to areas that may be exposed to
the chemicals and are available from safety supply companies and also
from West Marine ( in their catalog under West System application
accessories ) and it is called SBS 46 for about $5.00. I have just
completed building a wooden boat using epoxy ( East System ) and I
recommend using both barrier cream and gloves. The barrier cream is
rubbed on the skin and it dries quickly. Try it you'll like it! I tried
the vinegar, but found that it did little or nothing to remove epoxy.