Popular Woodworking 2007-11 № 165, страница 57
Extra protection. For dusty jobs with lots of flying debris, you should have additional equipment in your shop, including a face shield, an effective dust mask and ear plugs. The field of woodworking has just started to recognize that there are health hazards associated with working with different woods, glues and finishes. By being aware of some of these potential hazards you can better prepare yourself for their contact. Woods • 1 Trees produce resins, chemicals, bark and even antibodies to protect themselves from diseases, insects and fungi. These natural safeguards may also have a profound effect on people who come in contact with wood. • 2 Be aware of allergic reactions to wood. Ifyou develop a runny nose, watery eyes or hives, you should make a note of the type of wood that seems to bring on these symptoms. Contact your doctor and seek some advice. • 3 If you experience any reaction to wood dust make sure you limit your exposure. Wear a mask. • 4 Be aware of the mold and spore effects of spalted or decayed wood. Some people have severe reactions to the fungus and spores in these types of wood. • 5 Do not work with (or burn) treated lumber in your shop. This wood may have been treated with creosote or arse nic. This stuff is for the outdoors. • 6 Man-made or composite boards (plywood, particleboard, MDF and laminates) contain resins that can be hard to breathe and can also be eye irritants. Although we cannot eliminate these products from the shop, it is important that you protect yourself while using these materials. • 7 Be aware that some woods contain tannic acid, which could be an irritant to some people and can cause your hands to turn temporarily black. Resins and Glues • 1 White and yellow glues, as well as hot hide glue, are usually non-toxic, and clean up easily. However, urea formaldehyde (resin glue), cyanoacry-late (Super Glue), epoxy, polyurethane glue and contact adhesives (laminate glue) are all poisonous, and should be handled and cleaned up with care. • 2 When you use resin glues, cya-noacrylate, epoxy, polyurethane glue or contact adhesive, you should wear gloves and a dust mask. After you apply the glue, make sure you immediately clean up any spills or drips. Do not let these glues get into your eyes, nose or mouth. Each glue cleans up with a different type of solvent, so make sure you know what the solvent is and that you have some on hand when you start mixing or spreading it. • 3 Always wear eye protection when you are scraping glue off the wood, floor, bench or wherever it is. • 4 Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) has a special concern — try not to glue yourself to your project. If you use this glue, keep a bottle of solvent on hand. • 5 Some glues cannot be mixed on plastics or with plastics. Make sure you learn the correct procedures when gluing anything other than wood. Finishes • 1 Almost all woodworking projects need to be finished to protect and preserve the wood. Finishing materials, if used recklessly, can be dangerous. • 2 Pregnant women and women who are breast feeding should avoid finishing projects. Exposure may be especially dangerous during the first three months ofpregnancy. • 3 Correct storage and disposal of finishing products must be observed. If you are not familiar with what that means you should contact your local fire marshal. • 4 Most of the finishing products for wood are made with some kind of organic solvents. Most of these chemicals attack the central nervous system, and some can damage the lungs, liver, kidneys and blood as well. They may irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat, producing acute and chronic effects. The acute effects last only a short time. An overexposure to high concentrations of finishing chemicals may cause dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, confusion, lack of coordination and irrational behavior. These symptoms pass as soon as you begin to breathe fresh air. Chronic effects don't pass. They're caused by frequent exposure to low concentrations of chemicals. The effect of each exposure is minor, but the damage is cumulative. Be aware that some of these chemicals can cause chemical burns. Some strippers contain lye or bleaching agents such as oxalic acid. If you come in contact with these materials, immediately flush the affected part with water for at least five minutes. If the area blisters, especially if it involves the face or hands, you will have to see a doctor. • 5 Make sure that you protect yourself. To prevent these adverse effects from happening while working with these chemicals, make sure you wear gloves (either rubber or latex), an apron, face shield and an organic vapor respirator. • 6 Here are rules to follow when working with wood-finishing products: • Make sure the area is well ventilated. Open the windows and create air flow that helps remove the fumes from your working environment. • Wear a close-fitting air respirator with organic vapor cartridge filters (charcoal filters). • And be certain to wear a face shield and rubber gloves. • 7 In addition to health risks, most of the materials used to finish wood are highly flammable. Here is a list of good housekeeping practices that will help prevent your shop from burning down. • Keep all finishing materials in their sealed metal containers. Store the metal containers in a fireproof cabinet. popularwoodworking.com ■ 55 |
