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Spring Haul Out Safety
Reprinted with permission.
Shipyard Hazards - Equipment for Personal Protection
By Charles W. Moore
Toxic and dangerous substances, noise and air-borne hazards, have always been a fact of life working on and around boats. 'Traditional' boat-keeping materials such as the copper antifouling paint with its lead and arsenic additives, white lead putty and asbestos are examples of materials which were common in shipyards but are now forbidden. However, today there is an even larger, more bewildering array of synthetic chemicals and compounds used in vessel maintenance and construction. And many are potentially hazardous.
While chemicals represent the 'silent' hazards there are also, noise, airborne particulate materials and large or heavy objects in shipyards against which it's crucial to protect the skin, eyes, ears, respiratory system and extremities. To meet this challenge there is now an ever-advancing technology in personal equipment and apparel which provides protection against a full range of hazards.
Fortunately for Canadians, regulations here regarding workplace safety, health and well-being are, in the main, keep abreast of the potential hazards, though it is always incumbent on an individual worker to ultimately take responsibility for his or her bodily health and welfare in the workplace.
CHEMICALS
It is extremely difficult to establish 'safe' levels for chemical exposures. Over four million chemical compounds are described in scientific literature and about 5,000 new ones are introduced each year. At least 60,000 are in common use. Only about two percent of these have been rigorously investigated for health effects and even that research tends to be narrowly focussed on cancer and birth defects. So don't kid yourself that governments or anyone else is looking out for your safety where chemical products are concerned. Regulations are minimal and tend to be enforced somewhat indifferently.
Some toxic substances frequently found around boats and in boatyards include:
Solvents
Many boat maintenance products contain one or more chemical solvents such as toluene, xylene, acetone, alcohol, benzene, styrene, alcohols, and mineral spirits. All of these are toxic if ingested, most give off harmful vapours and many are skin irritants. Solvents dissolve the body's natural protective skin-surface oils and are easily absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. Solvents can cause acute toxicity, permanent tissue damage, sensitization, and some are known or suspected carcinogens.
Protection & precautions
: heed warning labels; adequate ventilation; use solvent resistant gloves; use organic vapour-rated respirators.
Fibreglass
Polyester resins contain approximately 35 percent styrene solvent but their most potent hazard is in the methyl ethyl ketone or benzoyl peroxides used as hardening catalysts. These organic peroxides are extremely toxic. They are corrosive to skin and nasal membranes and may cause severe damage or blindness if they contact eye tissues. Like styrene, they are also suspected carcinogens.
Protection & precautions
: efficient ventilation (high volume extraction fans, or open area); gloves; goggles; organic vapour respirator (when working with liquid polyester resin); dust respirator and disposable coveralls (when sanding fibreglass).
Epoxies
Epoxies are less acutely toxic than polyester but they are potent sensitizers. It is estimated that up to 50 percent of people who frequently work with epoxies will develop dermatitis and 10% will become sensitized, meaning they will become hyper-allergic to the substance, with symptoms reappearing frequently with even minuscule subsequent exposure. Also there may be a cascading effect whereby the initial sensitization develops into intolerance of other chemical substances.
Protection & precautions: good ventilation; gloves and/or barrier skin creams; organic vapour
respirator; dust respirator and disposable coveralls for sanding.
Barium
Barium is an ingredient in some polysulphide caulking/sealing compounds. The vapours are highly toxic and an irritant to skin, eyes, and respiratory membranes. Barium is also a sensitizer (see above).
Protection & precautions: goggles; gloves; organic vapour respirator.
Copper
A common biocide in antifouling coatings, copper is a skin, eye and respiratory membrane irritant. The coating dust is toxic if inhaled or ingested.
Protection & precautions: gloves; dust respirator; old clothing (launder separately) or disposable coveralls (when sanding).
Organotin compounds (tributyltin oxide and tributyltin fluoride)
Formerly used as biocide in antifouling coatings, the tributyltin compounds are now banned worldwide but they may still be on vessels. They are potent toxins, irritants and sensitizers.
Protection & precautions: same as for copper antifouling: gloves; dust respirator; old clothing (wash separately) or disposable coveralls (when sanding).
Isocyanates
Isocyanates are found in polyurethane caulking/adhesive compounds and linear polyurethane finish coatings and varnishes. They are a severe irritant to eyes, respiratory tract, skin and gastrointestinal tract, and a potent sensitizer.
Protection & precautions: gloves; barrier creams; goggles; organic vapour respirator (approved for isocyanates); protective coveralls for painting; air-supplied respirator for spray application.
Oxalic and Muriatic acids
Oxalic acid is found in teak cleaners and stain removers and is corrosive to skin, eyes and respiratory membranes. Muriatic acid is also used as a cleaner and in cleaning products. It is corrosive to body tissues and may give off cyanide gas when it contacts certain metals.
Protection & precautions: gloves; good ventilation (outdoors is best) avoid vapours.
Tung oil
Used in varnishes and wood finishing oils, teak oils, etc. Tung oil is a skin irritant, sensitizer and now a suspected carcinogen.
Protection & precautions
: gloves; barrier cream; organic vapour respirator.
Wood preservatives
Most preservatives contain a variety of toxic or corrosive substances, some of which are very dangerous (eg: pentachlorophenol and creosote). Wood preservatives should never be applied in the interior of vessels fitted with living quarters or in fish holds.
Protection & precautions: gloves and protective clothing (disposable); organic vapour respirator.
WELDING
Metal welding in shipyards presents health hazards including: toxic chemical inhalation, burns, electric shock and ultraviolet/infrared radiation. Welding-associated chemical agents which may cause health problems include:
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zinc oxide fumes when welding or cutting zinc-coated metals;
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cadmium fumes that can produce severe lung irritation, damage to lungs and kidneys;
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beryllium vapours that can result in chemical pneumonia;
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iron oxide fumes emitting from both the base metal and electrodes causing irritation of nasal passages, throat, and lungs;
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mercury compounds that can damage the nervous system;
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fluoride compounds found in coatings of some fluxes (long-term exposure to which may cause pulmonary edema and bone damage;
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carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of welding gases as well as from operations that use carbon dioxide as the inert gas shield;
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ozone and nitrogen oxides produced by ultraviolet light from welding arcs.
Aside from its potential to generate hazardous gases, the ultraviolet (UV) radiation generated by electric arc welding process can result in severe burns, in many cases without warning. UV radiation can also damage the eye lens, a condition known as "arc-eye", that feels like sand in the eyes. Some welders have sustained retinal damage due to 'viewing' the arc. Infrared radiation (IR) produced by the electric arc and other flame cutting equipment may heat the skin surface and penetrate the tissues immediately below the surface.
Protection & precautions: approved welding helmet with eye protection and protective clothing; ventilation; respirators rated for the type of welding gases.
EQUIPMENT FOR PERSONAL PROTECTION
1. Protection from chemical inhalation
Chemicals enter your body via three routes: inhalation, ingestion or absorption through the skin so protection should create barriers at these entry points. Barring accidents, avoiding oral ingestion of harmful substances is a common sense matter. Dust and chemical respirators also cover the mouth but always wash hands thoroughly after handling chemicals and before eating food.
Respirators
Chemical (organic vapour) respirators commonly range from basic half masks that cover nose and mouth to rubber or plastic face masks with replaceable filter packs containing activated charcoal and other filtration media that absorb and trap fumes. Wearing these is a good idea even for routine brush and roller painting as modern coatings often contain powerful solvents which are more potent toxins and sensitizers than the linseed oil and mineral spirits in the older 'oil-based' paints. Follow the respirator manufacturer's instructions for maintaining a satisfactory face seal and for filter-change intervals.
For dust, less elaborate protection is required and a wide variety of disposable or replaceable paper filter and cartridge filter masks are available with filtration media custom-tailored for protection against specific inhalation hazards such as organic vapours (i.e.: solvents and coatings), particulates, acid gases, formaldehyde, welding fumes, etc.
2. Hand protection
Disposable gloves made of vinyl, butyl, or latex are available in bulk from industrial safety supply houses. Barrier skin creams are also highly recommended when skin contact with toxic or
sensitizing chemicals is likely. Waterless hand cleaners are best for removing chemicals or paint from skin and are available with non-toxic citrus oil solvents rather than those based on petroleum derivatives.
For heavier duty, non-disposable hand protection the main choices for glove materials (listed here in roughly descending order of cost): neoprene, nitrile, natural rubber, latex, vinyl (PVC). The synthetic rubbers, neoprene and nitrile, are the best materials given their superior strength, puncture-resistance and the widest range of chemical protection (although not effective for some powerful solvents) and have the added advantage of being non-allergenic. Natural rubber and latex are not as strong as the aforementioned.
Synthetics and latex, in particular, may be allergic sensitizers. Vinyl is cheaper yet, is non-allergenic and remains flexible in the greatest temperature range but is not as strong as the 'rubbers'. For comfort in work gloves when chemical resistance and waterproofness are not priorities, and for welding, it's tough to beat leather.
3. Eye protection
Safety glasses are available in an amazing range of types, styles (conventional or wraparound) and lens tints as well as with UV-resistant or anti-fog coatings. Other eye protection options are goggles and full-face shields. Safety glasses frames are usually polycarbonate or nylon and lenses are high-density polycarbonate or plastic, both very lightweight materials compared to glass. Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic (lenses can be heat-moulded) while the standard or 'hard-resin' plastic is a thermoset plastic (not heat-mouldable).
Polycarbonate is the strongest material for impact resistance and can be coated for scratch resistance. Plastic is resistant to solvents and pitting.
4. Hearing protection
Hearing protection should be worn if the noise or sound level at the workplace exceeds 85 decibels.
Unprotected exposure to noise can cause damage that sneaks up on you. This author had a routine audiological exam where he learned he had complete hearing loss in parts of the sound spectrum and has been scrupulous about hearing protection since. There are basically three types of industrial ear protection, each with a variety of subcategories:
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disposable slow-recovery foam (PVC or urethane) earplugs;
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reusable plastic or rubber earplugs;
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earmuff-type headsets.
Personal preference may determine choice in hearing protection but, generally speaking, the disposable and reusable plugs (inserted right into the ear canal) are highly portable, comfortable in humid or wet and confined work conditions and easily worn with eye protection devices. Earmuffs are generally more hygienic, more easily removed where noise is intermittent and designed to fit all head sizes.
5. Head protection
Clunks on the head can happen in boatyards and a hardhat is a pretty fundamental, and generally mandatory, piece of safety equipment. Traditional hard hat designs remained more or less static for more than 40 years, but more recently there have been developments, with a new CSA standard published in 1992. While previous hardhat standards focussed mainly on protecting against top dead centre hits, the 1992 revision are designed to provide protection against impact anywhere on the surface of the hat. The hat's ability to stay on the head during such blows from all angles has been improved by a ratchet system that allows precise fitting of the shock-absorbing inside suspension, as well as by the elimination of the 'rain-gutters' and improved electrical non-conductivity. The outer shell is almost universally manufactured with high-density polyethylene. ABS is used for inner shells and expanded polystyrene for foam-core liners. There isn't space here to go into detail, but a good overview on the topic of hard hats can be found at:
http://www.ohscanada.com/SafetyPurchasing/Hardhat.asp
6. Foot protection
Steel-toed boots are mandatory in most shipyards. The contemporary choice is between leather and synthetic materials like Kevlar, ballistic nylon and Gore-Tex. Waterproofed leather doesn't really breathe but it does absorb and disperse moisture. Some of the synthetics are designed to wick moisture away and are lighter in weight, very strong, and more waterproof and chemical-resistant than leather. Polyurethane, PVC, or a blend of both, are used for chemical-resistant soles.