Putting your safety first - Resene
Putting your safety first - Resene Putting your safety first - Resene
Cleaning hands in solvents, such as turpentine,will de-fat the skin and can cause dermatitisand repeated exposure may result in chronicdermatitis.Most solvents used in paints are highlyflammable so care needs to be taken thatthere are no sources of ignition available tothe solvent or to solvent/air mixtures.Empty drums contain residues of solvents thatcan be more dangerous than full drums, asthe danger of explosion is greater.4. AdditivesAdditives may irritate the eyes, skin andrespiratory organs.The spray mist of paintsWhatever the brand or chemical nature of thepaint, the spray mist of that paint will contain:Resins PigmentsSolvents AdditivesThe mist should not be inhaled, should not getonto skin and should not get into eyes.Hazards in the preparation forpaintingPaint stripper• Extra care needs to be taken with materialscontaining methylene chloride.• This chemical is a suspected human carcinogenand can cause permanent damage to skinand eyes.• Methylene chloride is highly toxic and cancause headaches, nausea, vomiting, numbness,tingling, light-headedness, worsen angina,loss of co-ordination, diarrhoea, abdominalpain, convulsions, unconsciousness, damageto lungs, liver function and kidneys.Metal pre-treatmentThese mixtures often contain phosphoric acid.Because of this, the following hazards exist:• Corrosive: will burn skin and eyes, permanentdamage may result.• Reacts with metal to produce hydrogen gas,which is highly flammable.Dusts• Wood dusts from cutting and sanding canproduce eye injury and asthma.• Hardwood dusts are a suspected cause oflung cancer.• Concrete/brick dusts from angle grinding cancause silicosis, lung cancer and eye injury.• Abrasive blasting creates dense clouds ofdusts that contain the abrasive itself,pulverised surface paints and abradedsubstrate material. This can cause serious andirreversible lung damage.• If silica sand is used as a blasting medium,the resulting silica dust can cause silicosis ofthe lungs, which is characterised by chronicshortness of breath. Can lead to lung cancer.• Lead-based paint dust can cause leadpoisoning, which can be fatal. Refer ‘Leadbasedpaint’ in this brochure for furtherinformation.Welding fumes• General welding fumes require similarrespiratory protection to those for solventvapours.Noise• Exposure to excessively high noise levels overtime can result in permanent hearing loss.• If noise from machinery makes it difficult foremployees working next to each other tospeak in a normal tone of voice, the workplacenoise level is probably too high.2
Organic solventsUnder the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, if you are an employee, the Act givesyou responsibility for your own safety and health at work and employers to provide a safe andhealthy work environment.Organic solventsMany are volatile. They give off a vapour and willevaporate quickly at room temperature. Not allgive out a strong smell.The word toxic is often used when referring to aharmful solvent.How do you ensure that there will be no ill effectsfrom solvents used in your workplace? The firststep is for both employer and employees to knowabout and read the Safety Data Sheet for eachproduct used.Safety Data SheetsSafety Data Sheets (SDS) should be available atthe place of work for all to read. These sheets detailthe hazards and set out the precautions for handlingthe chemical safely.Consult the SDS carefully.• Look to see what the components of theproduct are.• Check out the toxic properties.• Follow the safety precautions.Properties of solventsMany solvents evaporate and form vapour in theair when containers are left open. Their vapourscan be breathed in and lead to health problems.• Store solvents in strong containers.• Keep containers sealed or stoppered whennot being used.Many solvent vapours are highly flammable. Theywill readily create an atmosphere in which a firecan start.• Work out evacuation routes.• Keep evacuation routes free of any clutteringmaterials.Not all solvents are flammable.Knowledge of what you are dealing with is vitalto the proper methods of handling these and otherchemicals.At all times take special care to:• Reduce the volume of flammable solventspresent as far as possible.• Prevent spills and leaks.• Exclude sources of ignition such as nakedlights, unsuitable electrical equipment, staticelectricity hazards, hot surfaces andmechanical friction.• Reduce the vapour concentration byventilation/extraction systems.Health hazardsSolvents can enter the body by three routes.• Inhaled into the lungs.• Absorbed through the skin.• Swallowed.Inhaling a harmful vapour is the most commonroute.3
- Page 1 and 2: PuttingyoursafetyfirstUnderstanding
- Page 3: Surface coatingsWhat are paints mad
- Page 7 and 8: InhalationTo help a victim of over-
- Page 9 and 10: What if there is a fire?When paints
- Page 11 and 12: • If your child has more severe s
- Page 13 and 14: Methods of removing paintMethodAbra
- Page 15 and 16: 5. Lack of oxygen and confinedspace
- Page 17 and 18: Protecting your eyesCauses of eye i
- Page 19 and 20: Polyurethanes and lacquersPolyureth
- Page 21 and 22: Personal hygieneThis is important i
- Page 23 and 24: Donate:Donate to charityIf you just
- Page 25 and 26: The Resene checklist - part twoBe P
Organic solventsUnder the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, if you are an employee, the Act givesyou responsibility for <strong>your</strong> own <strong>safety</strong> and health at work and employers to provide a safe andhealthy work environment.Organic solventsMany are volatile. They give off a vapour and willevaporate quickly at room temperature. Not allgive out a strong smell.The word toxic is often used when referring to aharmful solvent.How do you ensure that there will be no ill effectsfrom solvents used in <strong>your</strong> workplace? The <strong>first</strong>step is for both employer and employees to knowabout and read the Safety Data Sheet for eachproduct used.Safety Data SheetsSafety Data Sheets (SDS) should be available atthe place of work for all to read. These sheets detailthe hazards and set out the precautions for handlingthe chemical safely.Consult the SDS carefully.• Look to see what the components of theproduct are.• Check out the toxic properties.• Follow the <strong>safety</strong> precautions.Properties of solventsMany solvents evaporate and form vapour in theair when containers are left open. Their vapourscan be breathed in and lead to health problems.• Store solvents in strong containers.• Keep containers sealed or stoppered whennot being used.Many solvent vapours are highly flammable. Theywill readily create an atmosphere in which a firecan start.• Work out evacuation routes.• Keep evacuation routes free of any clutteringmaterials.Not all solvents are flammable.Knowledge of what you are dealing with is vitalto the proper methods of handling these and otherchemicals.At all times take special care to:• Reduce the volume of flammable solventspresent as far as possible.• Prevent spills and leaks.• Exclude sources of ignition such as nakedlights, unsuitable electrical equipment, staticelectricity hazards, hot surfaces andmechanical friction.• Reduce the vapour concentration byventilation/extraction systems.Health hazardsSolvents can enter the body by three routes.• Inhaled into the lungs.• Absorbed through the skin.• Swallowed.Inhaling a harmful vapour is the most commonroute.3
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