So, once workers can smell methylene chloride they are already being overexposed. Methylene chloride is extremely dangerous when not used properly. Pay $64.00 after $25 OFF your total qualifying purchase upon opening a new card. At high enough levels, it can stop breathing. Ventilate Your Work Area. I stayed home all day, working around the house because there were two workers and didnt want to leave strangers in my home. We had one bathtub redone in our old house a few years ago but I think they just re-coated it. The restrictions on placing on the market and use is a consequence of many incidents with lethal outcome. According to the Centers of Disease Control, more than half a million children ages 1-5 in the U.S. have blood lead levels high enough to damage their health. Almost every technical field has harmful effects but its on the company or professional person that how they can deal with it. That is really great to know. This may be less of a danger than with old lead-based paints, but something to be aware of. However, it's not necessary if the bathroom is properly ventilated. I had my cast iron tub reglazed on a very hot humid day. Other uses, such as use by professionals outside industrial installations or household use by individuals is forbidden. Hello Im Derrick I used this last night now this morning Im sick as a dog headache stomachache am throwing up I didnt use a mask. Prolonged skin contact may cause irritation and even chemical burns. Bathtub Reglazing Experts. We use a spray-on compound that hardens to a polished and durable, like-new finish. You get enough toxic chemicals in your daily life without adding additional products that harm you by breathing its toxic fumes or being absorbed into your skin. Or should I leave? Today, my apartment filled with fumes, and I feel sick. See the NIOSH topic page dedicated to occupational safety and health hazards associated with Isocyanates (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/default.html). NIOSH has continued to try to get the word out to workers and employers about the risks of working with methylene chloride. If the job is not done right it starts to peel, he says. Using methylene chloride products in a bathroom is extremely dangerous as bathrooms are often small, enclosed spaces with little or no ventilation. Pros will have the correct gear, knowledge of how to ventilate the space and protect themselves, and familiarity with the various chemicals used so you dont need to worry about keeping yourself safe. And, are there any substances that are dangerous and can later leach into bath water and be absorbed by the skin? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Or will we be ok?? I found out the hard way. Great Post i appreciate this thanks for sharing this post . Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. After a few years, she was diagnosed with lung cancer (she never smoked) and died in 1999. I have one side of my nose feeling congested and post nasal drip and a headache. According to OSHA, you must also provide local exhaust ventilation and make-up air to replace the vapors removed by the exhaust. Kimberly Evans. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. There may also be substitute stripping products or methods however, please be aware that substitute stripping products may include other harmful chemicals or hazards, so use substitutes safely. Hover Image to Zoom. What to know about adding skylights to your NYC brownstone or apartment, How to evaluate different types of NYC contractor bids when you're renovating, New Yorkers moving out of state save more money on housing than taxes, 5 houses for sale in Margaretville, NY, a small town in the Catskills, 5 houses for sale in Sagaponack, the most expensive zip code in NY. Brooklyn resident Emily Gilbert had her familys tub and part of the bathroom wall reglazed four-and-a-half years ago (, Moving to NYC after college? They know where people bathe. Then, remove any cover plates, drain plugs and bathtub spouts. Changing up your tub is a great way to give your bathroom a makeover on a budget, Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles. The first one was a very long process because there was no air circulation what so ever si the two part paint kit kept separating from one another which kept me in the room with only my Tshirt pulled over my nose. The nearby exterior door was open for ventilation and the overhead fan was blowing and although they had a pipe going from the bathroom down the hall and out the front door this was not sufficient. I am exposing myself by soaking in this tub? $ 89 00. Barely 3 days later I now have pluracy and bronchitis, i feel the building should be held responsible as we werent notified of the dangers. There is an incredible amount of data Alternative products and processes exist for bathtub refinishing.
PDF Acute Lung Disease from Bathtub Refinishing - University of California Are Bathtub Refinishing Fumes Dangerous? White advises keeping away fromcleansers likebleach oreven Soft Scrub. After reading this post I think I can live with those scratches until I can hire a professional. Ya, very helpful articles are posted. She enjoyed improving discarded furniture, then selling it it was like art to her. At Specialized Refinishing, we have a team of highly experienced, certified refinishing and reglazing technicians who can restore and revitalize a wide variety of surfaces and fixtures in your rental property or before you put a house on the market. I have asked for the list of chemicals they use but have not heard anything. You should contact 911 and move to an area with fresh air (outside), or if possible open an window to let fresh air in. My concern is whether it is safe to take long soaks in this tub. Reglazing involves stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub. We are sorry to hear about your symptoms. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers, http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Pubs/#General, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA, http://retrorenovation.com/2016/05/02/understanding-potential-lead-hazards-old-porcelain-enamel-bathtubs-sinks-ceramic-tile-any-age/#ixzz47UvHcM00, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/09/21/17991/common-solvent-keeps-killing-workers-consumers, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/default.html, http://jwcpropertyservices.co.uk/bathtub-refinishing-dangers/, https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-air-quality-apartments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. I worked at [Company name removed] for 14years. Its better not to use methylene chloride for the safety of everybody. Mimi OConnor has written about New York City real estate for publications that include Brick Underground, Refinery29, and Thrillist. Thank you for introducing this sensitive topic in such a way I never thought these chemicals were so dangerous. Maybe others reading this blog will be able to help point you in the right direction. keep blogging~! Note that humidity affects both dry time and how well the topcoat bonds to the surface, so the cool, less-humid seasons of fall or spring providethe best conditions for this type of work. It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. The fumes are stronger fumes so we do not allow anyone to be in the apartment for 8 hours. I smelled that horrible smell for nearly 3 weeks after he was doneeven my cigarette smoke couldnt compete. These chemicals are no joke and need to be taken seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions - Bathtub Refinishing - Miracle Method I have been refinishing tubs for 23 years. You should ask the installer to check that the product was applied correctly. Long-term exposure may cause cancer in humans. A 2015 report by the Center for Public Integrity on U.S. deaths connected to methylene chloride noted that researchers have argued for 30 years that regulation of methylene chloride in the U.S. isnt strong enough to protect workers and that warnings on labels for consumers are insufficient. Thanks to those whoever posted this article. I do home remodeling in Dallas, and many homeowners want to try to salvage some tubs, which is cost effective for some, but certainly a chemical risk for the workers and I would think the homeowners need to be made aware of this type of chemical being used in their home. Earlier this week NIOSH and OSHA released a joint Hazard Alert titled Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers. I believe in situations like these, two or more workers would be present in the bathroom, when proper ventilation is impossible. Avoid or minimize spraying methylene chloride. I think this blog is very helpful in knowing about the bad effects Bathtub refinishing of such dangerous products.We need to know what all are used while doing refinishing.Thanks a lot for sharing such a helpful information. Now Im cleaning up the interior; its not in terrible condition, but it has a few chips and the surface is not as smooth as Id like. Just trying to speak up for low income and maybe other apartment dwellers too. After collecting these samples following the NIOSH analytical method the samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis. Opening windows and moving away from areas with vapors can decrease or stop continued exposure. As a research agency, we do not have regulatory authority over the labeling or regulating on how methylene chloride is sold. I am linking an article from the Retro Renovation blog on safety that includes links to other sources on this.
Fatal Exposure to Methylene Chloride Among Bathtub Refinishers United Do-it-yourself bathtub refinishing kits and professional refinishing products alike are not to be inhaled or absorbed by your skin. Dust masks do not protect you from bathtub refinishing vapors.