There is an almost sure prevention for this form of stupidity. It is called the M.S.D.S., the Material Safety Data Sheet. I is supposed to be read BEFORE you open the container or apply the stuff!
E ^v^ From: Louise Power Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 11:24 AM To: Geary Schindel ; Bill Mixon ; Texas Cavers Subject: RE: [Texascavers] fumes in CC visitor center Wait!!! You mean I sent them all my canaries for nothing?! After all, Gary, it's really not a mine anymore. > From: gschin...@edwardsaquifer.org > To: bmixon...@austin.rr.com; texascavers@texascavers.com > Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:20:57 -0500 > Subject: RE: [Texascavers] fumes in CC visitor center > > Folks, > > I agree with Bill, when using solvent based paints (or for that matter, any > hazards material) in a confined space, it is much quicker, easier and cheaper > to use humans to determine if you've exceeded any health related chemical > thresholds verses real time air monitoring or canaries. Most of the time, > most folks become violently ill before they actually die. While this is not > the recommended method by the American Council of Governmental Industrial > Hygienists, it seems to be the technique most often used by industry. When > employees get sick, it is probably time to give them at least a 15 minute > break. You don't have to worry about long term exposures such as an increased > risk of lung or blood cancers as those folks probably won't be working for > you in 20 years anyway so not your problem. > > Matter of fact, with substances such as asbestos or silica dust, by allowing > humans in a contaminated work area without respirators, they actually help > clean the air as the lungs retain some of the asbestos fibers or silica (good > for the room, bad for the lungs). If you would like to see an excellent > presentation on silicoses and the Hawks Nest Tunnel in West Virginia and the > largest industrial accident in US History, you may want to visit Helen Lang's > web page http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~lang/Geol484/HN-shorter.pdf > > I'm sure that the contractor read and followed all of the warning labels and > safety precautions for use of the product and that it was really safe for use > in a confined environment and that the manufacturers warning about using the > product only in well ventilated areas was just to protect them from lawsuits. > > Using canaries for air monitoring has fallen out of favor in recent years as > they are cute and folks get attached to them. In addition, there are a number > of powerful animal rights groups that help protect their interests (wonder > how that would work for humans). The correct method would be to develop a > health and safety plan that would require proper environmental controls such > as ventilation, selecting appropriate chemicals, using protective equipment, > closing down the facility, and air monitoring. However, that all costs time > and money. > > G > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mixon Bill [mailto:bmixon...@austin.rr.com] > Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 9:40 AM > To: Cavers Texas > Subject: [Texascavers] fumes in CC visitor center > > The fact that a few staff "had to" be taken to hospital does not prove that > there was any real danger or there were any real injuries, given the "excess > of caution" (wimpishness) that prevails these days. One would have to know > more to decide. -- Mixon > ---------------------------------------- > Forgive your enemies . . . after they are hanged. > ---------------------------------------- > You may "reply" to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, > save: > Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu > AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: > texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com >
