Scared About Safety I Did Incorrectly

[Mayawizard]

recently i made a helmet using fiberglass and bondo and such. i was using a respirator the whole time. well,,,i was using the respirator and then shoving it in a plastic bag when i was done with it. Well i just read that you are supposed to store the cartridges separate from the mask to ensure that the chemicals are not in the face part. so my question is...how screwed am i? i have been noticing a slight tickle in the back of my throat for a few days. i am concerned...it may be coincidence,,,but i just don't know. thanks all.



~Mayawizard

 

[gakkengod]

recently i made a helmet using fiberglass and bondo and such. i was using a respirator the whole time. well,,,i was using the respirator and then shoving it in a plastic bag when i was done with it. Well i just read that you are supposed to store the cartridges separate from the mask to ensure that the chemicals are not in the face part. so my question is...how screwed am i? i have been noticing a slight tickle in the back of my throat for a few days. i am concerned...it may be coincidence,,,but i just don't know. thanks all.



~Mayawizard

well, have fun dying... only kidding, i dont use a respirator but i guess u'll be alright just get some good air. or i could be wrong, in wich case you are going to die. joking agian... someone is gonna get mad at me soon. you'll be fine im sure.

 

[Purrie]

i dont use a respirator

Tsk tsk... didn't you read the safety stickies?

 

[Stevieboy7]

As with most chemicals it's more of a long term exposure thing, respirators are just in case type deals, if anyone starts working with a product as a career.

The "tickling" is most likely psychological, or just a bit of dust inhalation or something, nothing to worry about.





These type of chemicals affect lungs and brain, nothing to do with the esophagus.

 

[Damorian]

As posted above, it's really not anything to worry about. Most of the people on here talk like, "IF YOU INHALE ANYTHING YOU'LL GET SUPER MEGA TURBO AIDS AND CANCER AND DIE!!!11eleven" It's really nothing to worry about. Don't stress, just wear your ppe as much as possible and/or work in a well ventilated area.

 

[smilie120]

One or twice shouldn't be too bad, you won't feel any effects now but it may hit you down the line. It mostly harms people who use it on a daily basis without protection. Nothing to fret about I was the same when I first started using this stuff a few years back.

 

[Belakor]

I'm going to drop this post of mine from another thread back in March and say that anyone advocating the use of these kinds of chemicals without proper safety equipment (ie. a respirator) will probably end up with warnings for it.

Even if you're outside you should be wearing a respirator. After all, it's not the vapors/fumes you can smell that are the problem but the ones you can't. In any case what you do is up to you but I do not want to see anyone suggesting you not wear a respirator while using these chemicals, ever.

To the OP, I would just start separating the mask and cartridges now. Since it's only been a relatively short time it's unlikely to have had any lasting effect, if you do get sick or are just worried you could talk to a doctor just to be safe if need be.

 

[HaloGoddess]

well, have fun dying... only kidding, i dont use a respirator but i guess u'll be alright just get some good air. or i could be wrong, in wich case you are going to die. joking agian... someone is gonna get mad at me soon. you'll be fine im sure.

I already know of one member on this site you DOES have health issues as a result of not following safety precautions or something along those lines. I think it's Nintendude or something like that. I just remember reading his post in another thread discussing the safety issues when it comes to using these chemicals. I think he has issues with his lungs now. I can't entirely remember all what he said, but NEVER go without using a respirator! D:



You might not be experiencing anything now, but keep doing it and you will learn the hard way.

 

[gakkengod]

I already know of one member on this site you DOES have health issues as a result of not following safety precautions or something along those lines. I think it's Nintendude or something like that. I just remember reading his post in another thread discussing the safety issues when it comes to using these chemicals. I think he has issues with his lungs now. I can't entirely remember all what he said, but NEVER go without using a respirator! D:



You might not be experiencing anything now, but keep doing it and you will learn the hard way.

listen i understand everybody's concern but this thread isnt about me. trust me i've read every sticky read every warning label, so i know the dangers. My sympathy to all who've suffered because of this toxic material. but Im just not willing to change my opinion on the matter. This person is using a respirator and I recommend that you do, the question here isnt To or Not To wear a respirator. it is however a saftey question on how to put away your respirator and what could happen when you go about it incorrectly.... thank you all for your concern but lets stop worrying about the damned and help some people.





Thank you.

 

[mchammertime]

I'd say that you should probably just start doing what the instructions say from now on, and if you're still worried, leave the respirator outside instead of in a bag. Oh btw to all the people saying that you shouldn't wear a respirator, a couple years back when I was first finding this site, I read a thread where someone (I can't remember who) had a defective respirator. After they had done resin and fiberglass with it on, the were vomiting every 30 minutes and had to go to the hospital. Just sayin

 

[Roadwarrior]

Oh yeah, now I find out you're supposed to take off the cartridges after you use it



Eh.

 

[GremlinLord]

I've worked with Bondo and resin for many years doing autobody work. You'll be fine, these chemicals are indeed toxic and can seriously mess you up but that is long term exposure or extremely high exposure. The tingling in your through is probably caused by your stomach jumping into it (nerves). Before I educated myself I used to use fiberglass resin all the time without a proper organic vapor respirator and have suffer little to no side effects (yet :unsure ).



That being said ALWAYS USE A RESPIRATOR. ALWAYS READ THE DIRECTIONS. ALWAYS REPLACE YOUR VAPOR CARTRIDGE ON THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE.



As Drgnfyre4 said this stuff can screw you up, but resin + bondo alone won't instagib you. Certain types of paints however can knock you out cold because they vaporize much more readily than resin since resin doesn't cure via drying rather by a chemical reaction. This is why so much attention is put into making paint booth's explosion proof where as the average Bondo area of a bodyshop can have welders and torches going with no worries (Never weld/braze in a paint booth, no one here needs a Darwin Award).



One more tip should you get resin on your hand or forearm you can get even the cured stuff off with GoJo Cream hand clear work amazing without lots of pain and hairloss, Just get the regular cream hand cleaner not the abrasive orange stuff.

 

[tomvdog]

I think we need to look at this more in a general since. When I'm resining and bondoing I look at it like smoking its more of a person to person effect. Everybody is different just because you smoked a pack a day for life doesn't mean that you will get cancer cause I know people that did and don't. But there are the people that get cancer from second hand smoke. everybody is different so just because some people can go with out that doesn't mean that anyone can. You'll probably be fine so don't worry but just stay safe and ware your respirator and take all the proper safety procedures. Thats my 2 cents if you wanted it or not.

 

[Damorian]

Gee you must be some kind of expert. Have you worked around these materials for years and seen the long term effects of exposure? Highly doubtful with a flippant attitude like that. I HAVE worked with these materials for ten plus years and seen friends and mentors pass from cancer from exposure, so frankly screw your crap attitude...I hope you reap what you sow from such an ignorant approach to safety.I personaly have health issues from exposure to paint fumes and resins so dont f***ing tell me its nothing to stress about.

I didn't have an attitude. I've been working with this stuff a few years and have seen other people work with it their entire lives with no ill effects. It's not like I was advocating doing this in your bedroom wearing only your underwear. The OP made a small mistake one time. That isn't going to cause him any harm. Now unless someone is going work with little to no ppe every day for several years, it is nothing to worry about. Relax.

 

[Hugh Holder]

Whoa this got off topic huh?



To the OP, You are fine. Just follow the directions and do your best to be safe. The fact that you're watching your step through all of this and checking yourself is a pretty good sign that you're on the right path.



If people don't want to protect themselves or do their own research it's not the public's responsibility to put them in check. We can judge all we want but ultimately it is their own choice and we should respect it, not attack one another.

 

[HeavyGunner]

We can judge all we want but ultimately it is their own choice and we should respect it, not attack one another.

Well put. I believe the main point Belakor is trying to make is just that, keep your opinions to yourself. If you decide to never wear a respirator, it's your business. But if you start voicing that opinion to others, and possibly influencing them, that's where the problem starts.

 

[corby]

Wow I didn't know you were supposed to separate the cartridges from the mask when you store it. I always keep my respirator far from any chemicals and thought that was enough. Well knowledge is power! time to change my storage methods

 

[Damorian]

Well put. I believe the main point Belakor is trying to make is just that, keep your opinions to yourself. If you decide to never wear a respirator, it's your business. But if you start voicing that opinion to others, and possibly influencing them, that's where the problem starts.

I'm assuming that was directed at me. I wholeheartedly agree, and I apologize for starting confrontation, but I think people are misunderstanding what I'm saying. The OP is concerned that because they didn't separate their cartridges from the mask that they will now have serious long term health effects. This is entirely untrue and I was simply stating that he shouldn't be concerned that he has lung cancer now. All I'm saying is one or two strong wiffs aren't going to do anything to you other than make you sneeze a little. The problem arises when you start getting 100s of wiffs because you're not using a respirator when you do this every day. Everyone SHOULD be using a respirator and working in a well ventilated area, but you're not going to die because of that one time you forgot to put the mask over your face while mixing resin. I apologize for being unclear. I am in no way suggesting that you should do otherwise. Again, sorry for causing a misunderstanding.

 

[iron mang]

oh dang, all this time i've been using my respirator and not disconnecting the cartridges when i'm done... But i'm using disposable respirator and the cartrigdges are permanently attached i think?

 

[Camofred]

I'd say that you should probably just start doing what the instructions say from now on, and if you're still worried, leave the respirator outside instead of in a bag. Oh btw to all the people saying that you shouldn't wear a respirator, a couple years back when I was first finding this site, I read a thread where someone (I can't remember who) had a defective respirator. After they had done resin and fiberglass with it on, the were vomiting every 30 minutes and had to go to the hospital. Just sayin

Umm... I don't use a respirator and have never had this happen to me. He most likely accidentally swallowed some of the hardener or resin. On not being able to voice our opinions... is that not democracy? Being able to say what you want and not give a damn who bases an opinion on it? And the stickys ARE NOT GOD. They are just the most used methods. they are not approved by actual tests to be 100,000% correct and to be followed to the letter. They are good guide lines to be followed but you can deviate.



P.S.The first person to whine that I have to go by a respirator earns 1# on my list of most hated people. it MY choice, I'll go live with the consequences