Breathing in body filler fumes - CAD studio above workshop
Discussion
Morning all.
I've come into work this morning to an office full of car body filler fumes.
I'm a CAD modeller/designer and I work in a 2 floor industrial unit (ground and 1st floors).
We have a workshop which takes up most of the entire ground floor with the exception of some offices at the front of the building. The part I work in - the CAD studio - is directly above the workshop on the first floor. It has no windows and no source of fresh air but it is open to another part of the studio which is around a 90 degree corner. The opening is probably four feet wide.
Is it right that I have to work in a room that is becoming filled with these fumes? It doesn't happen all that often, maybe 3 or 4 days in a month. I can't say I'm overly happy about being in here when it's like this and if the fumes are detrimental to my health then I'm not going to sit here and breath it in all day.
As far as I'm aware, there is not extraction system for fumes in the workshop.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I've come into work this morning to an office full of car body filler fumes.
I'm a CAD modeller/designer and I work in a 2 floor industrial unit (ground and 1st floors).
We have a workshop which takes up most of the entire ground floor with the exception of some offices at the front of the building. The part I work in - the CAD studio - is directly above the workshop on the first floor. It has no windows and no source of fresh air but it is open to another part of the studio which is around a 90 degree corner. The opening is probably four feet wide.
Is it right that I have to work in a room that is becoming filled with these fumes? It doesn't happen all that often, maybe 3 or 4 days in a month. I can't say I'm overly happy about being in here when it's like this and if the fumes are detrimental to my health then I'm not going to sit here and breath it in all day.
As far as I'm aware, there is not extraction system for fumes in the workshop.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
AndrewEH1 said:
ImDesigner said:
As far as I'm aware, there is not extraction system for fumes in the workshop.
No expert but perhaps ask your manager whether when this type of work is carried out an extraction system could be used/bought.Even if they did pay up for an extraction system, it won't help me today, or tomorrow if they're working with this stuff.
ImDesigner said:
AndrewEH1 said:
ImDesigner said:
As far as I'm aware, there is not extraction system for fumes in the workshop.
No expert but perhaps ask your manager whether when this type of work is carried out an extraction system could be used/bought.Even if they did pay up for an extraction system, it won't help me today, or tomorrow if they're working with this stuff.
The chemicals that they are using will have an associated concentration limit in terms of what you are allowed to breathe in without respiratory protection. If the fumes are above this, the company is obliged to provide ventilation, regardless of its size.
The application of filler material can expose you to some hazardous materials if you do not take appropriate precautions. Most body fillers contain a solvent called styrene. As the filler dries, styrene is released to the air and you can breathe it. It has a characteristic sweet smell at low concentrations and a sharp disagreeable odor at high concentrations.
Exposure to styrene can cause respiratory irritation. It may also damage your liver and possibly cause cancer at very high levels of exposures - not usually found in autobody shops. Styrene can also be absorbed directly through the skin if you come in direct contact with the uncured filler. In some people, direct contact with the filler may cause skin rashes and repeated exposure may increase your sensitivity.
Exposure to styrene can cause respiratory irritation. It may also damage your liver and possibly cause cancer at very high levels of exposures - not usually found in autobody shops. Styrene can also be absorbed directly through the skin if you come in direct contact with the uncured filler. In some people, direct contact with the filler may cause skin rashes and repeated exposure may increase your sensitivity.
As said above, there are quite strict regulations that employers must follow in relation to hazards such as this. You do, for your health's sake, need to flag this up formally to your employer and ask if they can take some steps to alleviate the problem. They would do well to call in an independent environmental health consultant to advise. In the meantime, you should avoid the threat as and when it appears. Good luck!
Problem is that once you're sensitised to such fumes you can get sick at a mere whiff of them. Look up what they're using under the H&S data sheets (sneak a look at the info' on the tins). A lots of this stuff needs fresh air breathing apparatus as even active filters in masks don't help.
First symptom of respiratory distress and your employer/air polluter will be looking at a RIDDOR. When the HSE come knocking they won't like it. Or the fine/payout.
First symptom of respiratory distress and your employer/air polluter will be looking at a RIDDOR. When the HSE come knocking they won't like it. Or the fine/payout.
Edited by dfen5 on Tuesday 20th August 22:09
Do the guys applying the sanding sealer have extraction equipment / face masks for their saftey? If they do then its clearly harmful - and if you can smell it then you are breathing in the same stuff they are taking care not to - so you need to say something, and get them to resolve the issue.
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