Safety question about mineral spirit

[Phil5000]

Hi guys. On the advice of some of you I started using mineral spirits instead of turps for cleaning. I did a bit of spraying today and like always used a respirator with an organic vapour cartridge and paint spray prefiler. Not long after I suddenly felt really weird in the head. I'm wondering if the respirator had any effect at all. Would any of you know if organic vapours is the appropriate cartridge for mineral spirits?

Thanks.

 

[Roc]

Phil, when using mineral spirits or turps, make sure you have proper ventilation, open a window.


Cheers
Roc

 

[Dan Morton]

Phil -
Yes, an organic vapor cartridge and pre-filter is probably the right protection vs. mineral spirits. BUT -
1. Are you sure you have the right size for your face? A half-face respirator (which I presume is what you are using) has 3 sizes normally - S M L.
2. Are you clean-shaven in the area where the respirator mask makes contact with facial skin? As in no beard stubble.... A half-face respirator depends on an "air-lock" seal to work. If there are gaps around the seal, you'll breathe thru the gaps because they are the "path of least resistance" in terms of airflow. Try this - cover the inlets gently and breathe in. If you have a good seal the mask should squash in to the facial skin a bit. Don't push down too hard because you'll break the face:mask seal.
3. How long have you been using the cartridge? Manufacturers usually say about 8 hours continuous use is the limit. If you use it intermittently, you'll get much less than that. The cartridge collects water vapor from the air and fills up. There's only so much space in the carbon bed in the cartridge - if it's filled with water, it won't collect solvent vapors. When in doubt, buy another.
4. Are you wearing protective gloves when you use the spirits? Organic solvents will go thru bare skin and cause fat removal, dermatitis, and you can also have some woozy head type symptoms - depends on what is in the "mineral spirits". And no - they ain't all the same chemically.
And finally,
5. I agree - ventilation! As in an open window, an open window and a fan, etc.

This is probably a lot more than you ever wanted to know about respirators, but - hey - you asked! And when you start to have symptoms - it's time to pay attention, brother. Please be careful! Hope this helps!

FYI - I take precautions myself. Respirator, gloves, open window - every time I sculpt with Magicsculpt or any 2 part epoxy that contains epichlorohydrin. Don't ever believe it when somebody says they can safely handle that stuff with bare hands. Look at the warnings on the products!

All the best,
Dan Morton,
ABIH Certified Industrial Hygienist

 

[Phil5000]

Thanks fellas. Yes I take all the precausions mentioned. Ventilation (I work in a little shed but I sit right by an open door) and with the respirator. It's a half mask, size M, and I'm clean shaven and I do the cover hole and breath in test. That's all fine. It' could be time to change the cartridges but I've not noticed a problem spraying anything else, just the spirits.

I think I'm just gonna use Tamiya enamel thinners. They're expensive but it's not like the spirits were cheap. I don't think I'm comfortable using them again. Maybe the brand (Pebo or something French) but I think I'll steer clear of them.

I'd still appreciate any more comments though.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Im not sure about this but perhaps a different kind of filter could be the answer?

Cheers

 

[Dan Morton]

Janne - that's definitely the right cartridge and filter combination. I make a living knowing such things and I've been "at it" for a good many years. I manage the respirator program for about 7000 workers at Union Pacific Railroad here in Omaha and our other locations from the Mississippi river west.

Either an organic vapor cartridge with a paint pre-filter or a multi-use cartridge with a pre-filter are appropriate for most of what the typical figure modeller uses: 2-part putty, paints, solvents, paint strippers, etc. But don't neglect the exposures to your skin and potentially your eyes. If anybody else has any questions about the chemicals they're using and the correct protective gear, please ask. And if this sounds like "overkill" to some of you, again, trust me, it's not.

Dan Morton
ABIH Certified Industrial Hygienist

 

[Calvin]

I got this link some time ago, maybe it could be useful.

http://www.labsafety.com/

 

[Phil5000]

Originally posted by Dan Morton@Feb 21 2006, 06:39 AM
Janne - that's definitely the right cartridge and filter combination. I make a living knowing such things and I've been "at it" for a good many years. I manage the respirator program for about 7000 workers at Union Pacific Railroad here in Omaha and our other locations from the Mississippi river west.

Either an organic vapor cartridge with a paint pre-filter or a multi-use cartridge with a pre-filter are appropriate for most of what the typical figure modeller uses: 2-part putty, paints, solvents, paint strippers, etc. But don't neglect the exposures to your skin and potentially your eyes. If anybody else has any questions about the chemicals they're using and the correct protective gear, please ask. And if this sounds like "overkill" to some of you, again, trust me, it's not.

Dan Morton
ABIH Certified Industrial Hygienist

Cool Dan, I think you're going to be a handy guy to know. When I airbrush I use the mask, goggles and rubber gloves. The goggles are a fairly new thing. One time I was using Humbrol matt cote and when I'd finished I noticed I could still smell it. I sniffed the lenses of my glasses and they were covered in it! The spray had been bouncing off the model right back into my face. If I hadn't been wearing glasses it would have gone right in my eyes! It may have got in them anyway, but hopefully not. I make a point of bathing my eyes really well in water after a paint session, and since then wear goggles.

I don't however use any protection while brush painting, and I think I should because if the wind doesn't blow right in the hut I feel a little wooly afterward. I bought a small fan to keep the air circulating but I might use the mask all the time while painting. It'd be expensive since they wear out so quick though.

Dan, maybe you could tell me why the item number on the packaging of my Norton organic vapour cartridges is different from the one printed on the cartride itself. I thought for a minute I might have got the wrong one, or is it different companies use different numbers? Norton are sold under the name Bear down here.

Anyway, thanks again everyone.

 

[Dan Morton]

I'm not sure why there are different part numbers on the cartridge vs. packaging. Maybe the cartridges are re-packaged for Bear for your market? The important thing to look for is the "organic vapors" or whatever, designating what the cartridge should be used for. A relatively recent change in the US is the introduction by most respirator cartridge makers of the "multi-use gas/vapor cartridge". This cartridge can be used as an alternate for the "organic vapors" cartridge.

Where most people go wrong is not changing the cartridge frequently enough. As I said above, the darn things fill up with water vapor much faster than organic vapors, all the available charcoal becomes saturated and they stop collecting organics.

You sound like you're taking every precaution. That's great!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Dan Morton@Feb 21 2006, 12:39 PM
And if this sounds like "overkill" to some of you, again, trust me, it's not.

Einion