Lung protection

[AuDust]

In the past have been able to do all finish work in good weather outside. Volume no longer permits this approach. Products used range from BLO, Danish oil, polyurathane to the more volatile Rust-Oleum paint and Deft lacquer. Only spray application is the latter two. My approach is to use mask cartridges rated for the last two finishes which are the most volatile and not worry about the other products Any experts out there see any flaw in this logic? Heater in shop has electronic ignition, which I turn off till I purge the fumes.

[bronco]

AuDust,
I work at a chemical plant and we use respitory protection for almost everything.I would say you need to wear some sort of lung protection for all finishing applications. Thats just my opinion, there are others that are more qualified than me that have worked with these different products.
Bill

[arbarnhart]

Very few fumes are truly safe to breathe. Definitely not poly! Look at the can or bottle; most "oils" have some volatile solvents in them. There are warnings on the containers for a reason. That being said, I am guilty of sometimes wiping a piece with spirit/BLO mix and leaving it out to dry while I am in my closed shop without using filtered breathing apparatus. But my volume is low.

[AuDust]

Clarification of my original question. Am wearing mask when using all the finishes. Just wondering if the cartridges for the more volatile finishes were adequate for the more common BLO, Danish, etc.

[core-eagle]

I install and finish hardwood flooring and some of the finishes we formerly use were very toxic (Swedish Finish for one). We used the filter catridges with good results. We just had to keep a large supply of fresh ones on hand. When you have to coat 9,000 square feet of floor, ther is a lot of fumes. I personally use a lot of Deft on my projects at home and use my repirator at all times. I have been getting out of the finishing end of flooring since having back surgery in July. Some of the woods we install also have toxic dust which can irritate the eyes or throat. I've just started noticing a slight reaction to Austrailian Cypress myself.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Material Safety Data Sheet

Audust:

I know of no person who visits this forum that has proclaimed themselvs qualified to repsond to your question on OSHA or Enviromental Health issues.

The only experts are the makers of the finish and the breather mask you choose to use.

The makers of the finish you choose to use should have a web link at their home page for MSDS for the products or a hot line desk phone number. (Material Safety Data Sheet.) Some material may not have a MSDS if the label states 'Non-Toxic.'

My can of BLO is made by Klean-Strip. Google search: http://www.kleanstrip.com/

A general google search for BLO, MSDS has three or four links that claim BLO normally does not require a mask.

Skip to part 8 (VII) of the MSDS and there will be information about breathing masks required. Sometimes the phrase "NIOSH approved respriator for organic solvent" appears. Aside: usually there is a lawyer phrase like "adequate ventilation" which is never defined.

Then compare the mask description with the fine print about your mask.

My guess is, which is based only on your description, your NIOSH approved respriatior for organic solvents mask you are now using is adequate for your limited non-industrial use.

BTW: I don't think, IMHO, that true oil from the seed pod of the Flaxen plant is toxic. It is the paint thinner stuff that is added (cooked, as in boiled) to the seed oil (so the finish will dry and cure) that is considered organic solvent. Danish oil, and other varriations, are also mostly plant oils, cooked with solvents that effect dry-ing, curing, and polish.

Phil

[arbarnhart]

Kind of a nit, but kinda not. There is a big difference in what might be toxic to breathe as opposed to ingesting. I would be careful about making assumptions based on the a seemingly harmless source.

[GrayBeard Phil]

arbarnhart:

Thanks for catching that. Yes (and a big yes!) I was just talking about vapors and breathing.

The phrase I posted was:

...I don't think, IMHO, true oil from the seed pod of the Flaxen plant is toxic...

It should read

...I don't think, IMHO, true oil from the seed pod of the Flaxen plant is toxic to breath; no bets, however, if you have lung or allergy problems...

That error was fully my fault in the edit.

Phil

[arbarnhart]

I knew you understand - you suggested going beyond my earlier suggestion of checking the container and look at the MSDS. I just wanted to clarify for others; there is a poplular misconception that natural products are safe products. 'Taint always so...