Contents
Video on Solvents
Transcript 08 Video Solvents
Transcript 08 Solvents
Hello Health and Safety and welcome to our lecture on Solvents.
Slide 1
A solvent is a chemical used to dissolve solid materials
Examples of Natural solvents include- turpentine, citrus solvents
Synthetic solvents include- petroleum Solvents are usually an ingredient of paints and dyes; because it evaporates quickly during application All solvents should be considered toxic Millions of workers are exposed to solvents on a daily basis. Health hazards associated with solvent exposure include damage to the nervous system, reproductive system, liver and kidneys, respiratory impairment, cancer, and dermatitis.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/solvents/
Solvents are also used to Dissolve greases, oils, and paints.
They are used to thin or mix pigments, paints, glues, pesticides, and epoxy resins.
Solvents are in adhesives, carpet glues, cleaning fluids, epoxy resins, hardeners, lacquers, and mastics. They’re used to clean tools. Examples of solvents include acetone, alcohol, gasoline, kerosene, methanol, mineral spirits and turpentine. (http://www.elcosh.org/document/987/d000017/Hazard%2BAlert%253A%2BSolvents%2Bin%2BConstruction.html?show_text=1)
Slide 2 common side effects from using a product with a solvent in it include
Irritation
Dryness and chapping
Burns
Skin allergies
Slide 3
Solvents care Irritate and Damage membranes
Examples include: Lung damage and Nose bleeds
Slide 4
You can damage your nervous system resulting in:
Narcosis- A condition of deep stupor or unconsciousness induced by airborne contaminants . Other symptoms include Dizziness. And you can damage soft tissues organs such as your liver and kidneys.
Slide 5
Know what solvents you’re working with. Read the labels and the safety data sheets of the solvents, listing the hazards, health effects and safe handling procedures. Make sure the work space is properly ventilated. Use recommended gloves, eye and face protection, boots, other protective clothing or barrier creams as required. If respiratory equipment is used, make sure it gives appropriate protection for the exposure. Take care when pouring solvents from one container to another, as fire or explosions can occur from static electricity build up. Clean up solvent spills promptly. Never wash your hands with solvents. (https://www.amoils.com/health-blog/the-dangers-of-every-day-use-of-solvents-and-resins-to-you-and-the-environment/)
The Hazards
You can be exposed to solvents if you: Breathe them (This can happen when you mix glue or paint – or spray or brush them – because solvents evaporate fast.)
Get them on your skin (Many solvents can go through your skin. For some solvents, the danger is as bad as if you breathe them).
Swallow them. Solvents get into body fat in the skin, nerves, and brain.
Many solvents can catch fire, even in cold weather.
Slide 6
¡ Evaporation rate- The rate at which a material is converted to vapor (evaporates) at a given temperature and pressure when compared to the evaporation rate of a given substance.
¡ Evaporation rate can be useful in evaluating the health and fire hazards of a material. For example, a substance with a high evaporation rate will readily form a vapor which can be inhaled or explode.
¡ Evaporation rates generally have an inverse relationship to boiling points; i.e. the higher the boiling point, the lower or slower the rate of evaporation.
¡ Flash point–The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air and burn when a source of ignition (sparks, open flames, cigarettes, etc.) is present. Two tests are used to determine the flash point: open cup and closed cup. The test method is indicated on the SDS after the flash point.
Slide 7
Comparison scale
I made this comparison scale so I could compare evaporation rates and understand them. If you look at water it has an evaporation rate of 0.8 But look at acetone it is almost three times as fast at a 3.0 And ethyl alcohol is in between 0.8 to 3.0 depending on its mixture. And mineral spirits are slow at o.1 So as you think about these products the faster they evaporate. The faster they get into the air.
Slide 8 Threshold limit values
Remember the higher the threshold limit value the safer the product. But keep in mind the evaporation rates. The lower the rate the slower it is the safer it is for you the worker. Compare flash points the higher the better. Always read the entire safety data sheet. Compare the toxic effects, even within the same classes of product.
Compare Threshold limit values; higher better
Compare Evaporation rates; lower and slower rates better
Compare Flash points; high better
Compare toxic effects
Compare within classes
Slide 9
This is what you can do:
Read the labels and the SDS ( safety data sheet) for each solvent you will use.
Replace solvents when you can. If you use water-based (latex) paints, you don’t need to use thinners or cleaners that have solvents.
Don’t get solvents on your skin. Don’t use solvents to wash paint off your hands. When you use gloves, check the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure the gloves protect against the solvent you are using. When you clean oil-based paint from brushes, wear gloves.
Wash your hands before you smoke, eat, or drink. If you don’t, you can swallow solvents by mistake. Don’t smoke, eat, or drink where solvents are used.
Try not to breathe solvents. Use the smallest container you can. Keep lids on paint or glue cans or degreasing units when they are not being used. Throw out rags that have solvents on them. Keep your face away from solvents. Use a long-handled paint roller.
Work with solvents only where there is fresh air. You can’t always smell solvents. You may have to work indoors — to glue tile or spray-paint a wall — or in a trench or other confined space with solvents. If you do, set an exhaust fan to pull the vapors away from you. (Indoors, try to have one fan in a window pull vapors outdoors and a fan to pull in air from outside the room.)
Respirators and gloves are used when nothing else helps.
Paper dust masks will not protect you against solvents. You need at least a half-mask respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that has an organic-vapor cartridge. Respirator cartridges must be changed regularly — often once per shift, or more.
Slide 10
Where can I find other information relating to specific chemicals?
First, explore this Safety and Health Topic webpage that includes links to much of the related information available from OSHA.
· The OSHA Occupational Chemical Database has over 800 entries with information such as physical properties, exposure guidelines and emergency response guidance.
· The OSHA Chemical Sampling Information file contains information on sampling and analysis of approximately 1500 substances.
· The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards contains information on several hundred chemicals commonly found in the workplace.
· The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substances Inventory lists information on more than 62,000 chemicals or chemical substances;
· EPA’s new ChemView database provides information on test data and assessments.
I will include all the links in this module
Slide 11
Bibliography
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/solvents/solutions.html
The Hazards
A chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is an organic compound that contains only carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane. They are also commonly known by the DuPont brand name Freon.
Case study
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/89-109/
http://www.nap.edu/read/4795/chapter/54
solvent safety
What other common terms are used when discussing chemical hazards or toxic substances?
Action level
An airborne level, typically one-half of the PEL designated in OSHA’s substance-specific standards, 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z , calculated as an eight (8)-hour time-weighted average, which initiates certain required activities such as exposure monitoring and medical surveillance.
Ceiling Limit
The exposure limit a worker’s exposure may never exceed.
Sampling and Analytical Error
A statistical estimate of the uncertainty associated with a given exposure measurement.
Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
The average exposure to a contaminant to which a worker may be exposed during a short time period (typically 15 – 30 minutes).
Time-Weighted Average (TWA)
The average exposure to a contaminant over a given period of time, typically 8-hours. For examples of how a TWA is calculated, see the OSHA Technical Manual.
Where can I find other information relating to specific chemicals?
First, explore this Safety and Health Topic webpage that includes links to much of the related information available from OSHA, in addition, near the top of this page is a list of other Safety and Health Topic pages which address specific chemicals. Other sections contain information or links on subjects such as laboratory safety, and Hazard Communication or Process Safety. The OSHA Occupational Chemical Database has over 800 entries with information such as physical properties, exposure guidelines and emergency response guidance. The OSHA Chemical Sampling Information file contains information on sampling and analysis of approximately 1500 substances.
The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards contains information on several hundred chemicals commonly found in the workplace; The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substances Inventory lists information on more than 62,000 chemicals or chemical substances; EPA’s new ChemView database provides information on test data and assessments; some libraries maintain files of material safety data sheets (MSDS) for more than 100,000 substances. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/solvents/solutions.html
Reading
Read the E0lectronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health; Hazard Alert Solvents in Construction. This article discusses the hazards associated with handling solvents.
Read the the-dangers-of-every-day-use-of-solvents-and-resins-to-you-and-the-environment.
This article is from OSHA. It lists safe possible solutions when handling solvents. OSHA Solvents
This article is a serious look at choosing solvents. Use it a a reference guide. Solvent selection guide: a guide to the integration of environmental, health and safety criteria into the selection of solvents
Go to black board do your reflection solvent quiz.
