Read this!!!!!!!!!!!!! Safety warning

I know that some of you will think I'm overly cautious, but when I get chemicals to store, I look up the MSDS sheet for them. I'm getting my masters in ES&H and I hear stories from guys on jobsites about some of the things they have seen, it will make your hair stand on end some things will.

Its really easy to look up MSDS sheets for chemicals.

http://www.msds.com/

Do it before you use it.

 

****** hell, I, like most guys, read the warning labels after something goes wrong.
I think I'll change that habit right now. Great post.

 

****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Didnt they use phosgene gas in WWII to kill ppl?

 

I use brake cleaner to kill hornets,

 

Thanks for posting this,you may have saved a life!

 

Wow! I'll have to check warning labels a little closer now. I wear a welding respirator when welding. I also try to wear a respirator when I'm exposed to paint and chemicals and a dust mask when grinding. However, when I was younger I was exposed to a lot of body shop chemicals because I didn't know any better and thought I was indestructable. I hope it doesn't make me sick later in life. This ****'s scary!

 

Yeah, my little brother started welding a lot, and he was telling me about this. I've also started to see it on all the SPEED shows.

You have to be careful with this stuff.

 

i had no idea. glad someone bumped this.

 

...........Had no idea......Going to start reading labels more......

 

A lot of guys here didn't take welding cl***es in college. I spent my time in college taking Architecture and math cl***es. Hobbies like welding were self-taught for A LOT of people believe it or not.

 

I've heard before that brake cleaner fumes can be really poisonous, but never about someone who really got sick of it, before now. I too used to do a lot of cleaning of greasy parts with brake cleaner...sometimes before welding, too. Have to be more careful and to learn what stuff really is and what it does before using it!

We live in the world, where there are warnings like keep steering your car even when using the cruise control, so it's sadly kind of natural we don't pay so much attention to warnings anymore... Ultimately this can lead more and more to prohibition of anything potentially dangerous, even if it was good and totally safe when used correctly.

 

it's the chlorinated brake cleaner that you have to watch out for ,it's slowly being phased out, the warning is in very tiny letters on my can, pretty much anything that sprays can get you, I wish I had known this ten years ago, my health is now shot from working in a machine shop

 

Well I have been lucky or lazy. All I ever have done is grind, grease and wax remover, weld through and go. I do not tig on the things you are, just sheet replacement, but thanks. I now will be super carefull.

 

Keep strapping it on. You can't be too careful, even with a lift. A friend of mine (professional mechanic, professional grade lift) told me a story about the time he was under a car yanking on a stuck bolt. The car was rocking a bit, but he didn't think much about about it - it's a lift, it isn't going anywhere. Then the car slipped off the lift. Fortunately it got hung up and didn't land on him, but he's a lot more careful working under there now.

As for the cleaning chemicals... it's scary that something can mess you up that bad without even seeing it coming. It's enough to make me want to just leave my **** dirty. Or maybe I should start cleaning parts with gasoline, like my Dad used to. Then I can just blow the whole shop up and get it over with quick.

 

WWI trenches...chemical warfare.

 

It isn't just breathing **** that'll hurt you bad, have a friend was in the transmission business all his life. After 40 years of immersing hands and other body parts in oil and cleaners, developed liver failure, some hellish years later got a transplant, now NOBODY in his shop is allowed to work unsafely. Every nite the shop is cleaned, pretty fantastic place to visit, its increased his business as well cause its a very proffesional at***ude. Safety is king.

 

It's no joke. Happened to me. Both lungs damaged and shooting for a transplant. READ and pay attention....

 

The green elbow length gloves are cheap, the chemicals in a lot of solvents are absorbed through the skin, then right to the liver and kidneys, some people think you are being a wimp to wear gloves, sorry I like my liver

 

Btt again. That is some scary stuff. I had just cleaned some metal last week with it before I welded. I guess thankfully no pits to hold if there.

 

read this a couple years ago , everybody pay attention !!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for bringing this up for the new guys to read. Bob

 

someone said it but I'll say it again read the label on chemical cans BEFORE using them ! How many time have you used paint thinner or something like it to get that stubborn paint or grease spot off your hands? this stuff penetrates your skin and while you might get away doing that once or twice your still taking a big risk to your health. By law the place that sells you any chemical product must give you the appropriate MSDS sheet for that product the catch is IF you ask for it , I've had to wait a day or two but if you ask they MUST supply you the MSDS free of charge. I notice today when I visit garages that the younger mechanics are there with latex gloves and ear plugs I wish I had learned to do that young so it is second nature now, Yes as an old geezer it still looks odd to me but I really try to teach this stuff to my grandkids.

 

TCE as it is commonly known is in the ground water in our area, we are working on getting public water to that area. It was a cleaning solovent in the 50's and 60s. We (Township and State) could never find the source, probably someone dumping it on a dirt lane to keep the dust down. Some wells are so bad that you cannot take a shower, the steam carries the fumes which leads to problems, serious stuff. I wonder why it is still allowed to be used?

 

a good friend recently died of cancer at 56, they cant be sure but he was certain it was caused by the welding fumes he was exposed to most of his life, great guy and a hell of a welder too, what a loss, there is a reason they wear respirators now, back in the day no one knew better

 

When I was a kid we'd take the used transformer oil and dump it on the driveway...and this was a pumphouse!!! Who knew...and it probably went on from the turn of the century to the seventies.

 

thats some scary stuff. I have lots of people to warn I know people who use it ( brake kleen) for everything

thanks for sharing

 

Just read this and was really unaware of the phosgene and brake cleaners. Thank god I never purposefully or accidentally got this stuff burned. As it is I wear hearing protection, eye protection, use a respirator even when "just" using a rattle can paint or when thinner and reducer is open and never handle the stuff without gloves but, I gotta tell you there are times when you drop your guard on this stuff no matter how careful you are. Gonna try to be more careful for sure as even just a small amount of inhaled solvents can wreak havoc on you for a while.

 

Thanks for bringing it up again....I use(d) it all the time to clean everything...I also mig weld. It probably was just a matter of time.
Thanks,
Rich

 

One more hazard eliminated. No more brake cleaner in my shop....ever. Thanks for the heads up!