Thursday, June 20, 2019

The Risks And Solutions For Dealing With Solvent Vapors

By William Turner


It can be dangerous to work with chemicals of any kind without knowing what you are doing. Even household products can produce dangerous results if not handled properly. Every product is required to come with safety information that will help ensure you are working with them correctly and safely. Avoiding solvent vapors is important when working with them.

Short term health risks can occur. These usually start with a headache or dizziness. As more exposure occurs, you may develop nausea and vomit. Other symptoms include irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. A skin rash or burning sensation may develop if some spilled on your skin.

Long term risks to your health can be permanent. Lung and throat damage can occur when exposure is ongoing or frequent. Some liver or kidney damage can also happen. Others can include damage to your central nervous system and even cancer. It is critically important to understand the precautions that are included with each product. When used properly, you can avoid or eliminate these risks.

Ventilation is the first step to reducing risks to exposure. In many cases, you can open a window or door to allow more fresh air inside. If this is not possible or doesn't allow enough fresh air to circulate, you may be able to use a fan to pull in air from another room or outside. This can be dangerous if the product fumes are flammable, so be sure to check the instructions.

Masks should be worn to avoid breathing in the toxic fumes. The paper masks that are found in pharmacies are not enough to do the job. You need to get an industrial or paint mask that is designed with replaceable filters. This will help prevent the fumes from entering your lungs. Wearing a cloth or cheap mask is not a valid solution and will only increase the risk by making you think you are being properly protected. The mask should be checked to make sure it provides the correct rating on filtration.

Do not mix products unless you know what you are doing. This is critical. Mixing even household products can cause a dangerous reaction if you are not sure what you are doing. The different products could be a base and acid, which will cause a deadly fume cloud. Only mix chemicals if instructed to do so and you understand the safety precautions included with each product. If you are not sure, simply don't mix the chemicals.

First aid procedures should be learned before you work with any chemicals. Make sure you can move away from the work area and get fresh air the moment you feel dizzy or have a headache. This is an early warning sign that you are inhaling too many fumes. If you do not have an eyewash station, you can buy a portable eyewash bottle that comes premade with distilled water. If you get anything on your skin, be sure to wash it as quickly as possible. If you swallow anything, you need to contact poison control immediately and be prepared to seek professional medical assistance. Ingesting chemicals is very dangerous, so move quickly.

Being safe around solvents and other chemicals is critical whether you are mopping your floors or performing an industrial level chemical cleaning process on large equipment. Regardless of the situation, these can be dangerous if handled incorrectly. Products and chemicals are required to come with safety information. Be sure to read it before starting any work.




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