Allergic Reaction to Epoxy

[Audasea]

Don't know if this is coincidental or related, but after having mixed maybe 5 gallons of epoxy to build a boat, this over a 2 year period, I now find myself sneezing, with itching and watering eyes after working with epoxy.

This isn't the normal reaction.....skin outbreaks are.....but is it common that a person could develop an adverse reaction that fast? I have mild allergies to tree pollen in the Spring, but this ain't Spring.

I hope this isn't the case. I had another boat building project in mind. A 30 gallon plus project!

[dmede]

Maybe, but I'd suspect the wood you're working with first. That or any powdery fillers you might be adding to the epoxy?

[Thorne]

It may be time to start working with solid wood, tube glues and paint...

;0 (

Try some careful tests (if your doctor won't test you) with tiny amounts of epoxy, and remove ALL other possible interactions --- including the type of gloves.

From what I understand, many people also develop allergies to the powder used to line latex, nitrile or rubber gloves, as well as to the flexible glove or respirator materials. Since most of us blow into the thin gloves to inflate them before putting them on, the powder allergy can effect your respiratory system due to 'blow-back'.

Best of luck!

[Concordia...41]

Is it only when you work with wet epoxy or could it be the shop in general? The reactions you describe seem more like something airborne - dust, etc. is bothering you.

If you've mixed that much, you've sanded a lot. Even if you sweep the floor or collect as much as possible in a dustless sander, it still gets everywhere.

I'm so happy to be out of the warehouse, it was absolutely toxic from all the sawdust, paint sanded, epoxy sanded, etc. I can be in there for just a few minutes and it feels like someone is sitting on my chest. If I'm there more than a couple of hours, my voice gets raspy and I sound like I've been chain smoking for 30 years. :(:eek:

Even if you're not having an allergic reaction, this is NOT good stuff to be around. :(

[George Ray]

Could well be epoxy but the suggestion that it is wood dust is also a distinct possibility so you might want to keep a log of your work and your reaction to help narrow it down. It took me several years to figure out that I have a respiratory allergy to epoxy. It manifests as severe tiredness/lethargy after sanding fresh epoxy with a mask rated less than 99% particle removal. No rash or sneezing etc. Same thing happens with isocyanate's like Awlgrip/Awlcraft paints but with those I need a full fresh air rig.

[Jay Greer]

We had a contract for building boats that were used in one of the Disneyland attractions. Epoxy was a new product then and none of us knew that it had the potential to cause sever allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. One of our guys developed a bad case of hives, so bad that his scrotum swelled up to the size of a soccer ball! Needless to say, he spent some time, with his legs in parentheses in a hospital bed for that one. Afterwards he was so sensitized to epoxy that just smelling it would cause him to suffer breathing difficulties. I have never had a reaction myself but I do wear a chemical vapor scrubbing hood and skin protection whenever I work with epoxy. I really like working with plain treewood better!
Jay

[Doug Canada]

You are "sensitized" to the epoxy.
It does happen to some people over a period of time.
It is an ellergic reaction.
I have the same problem.

Multiple chemical sensitivity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_chemical_sensitivity

-"fitted fullface respirator" with and organic vapor cartriage (period)

Doug


.

[George Ray]

Doug,
Would you please recommend a mask, organic filter, and supplier that has worked well for you.

[Jay Greer]

George,
My own hood system is a PAPR, a combination of face shield, hard hat and belt carried power pac with a dust and chemical filter by 3M.
http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/category/3m-gvp-series-papr-systems-filters-and-replacement-parts.html
I especially like it because the air flow keeps the face shield from fogging up. The whole rig is very comfortable affording full vision.
Jay

[Nanoose]

Yes. A friend built a large catamaran and he developed the allergy in the process. Terrible reaction. He finished the boat, but won't be doing another one (now off sailing the world with his wife in said cat).

[TMny]

>manifests as severe tiredness/lethargy

The {human/mamalian?} inflammation response is pretty generalized, so we frequently respond to such varied perceived threats as cold virus or inorganic dust, similarly. The response described above is common for me.

[Audasea]

Thanks for the replies and advice. Remarkable how these reactions manifest themselves in different people. And I'm still not sure epoxy is causing this, but I have to consider it.

For example, the reaction's I'm observing often don't show up until 48 to 72 hours have elapsed from the time of exposure. On the last batch, I mixed up about a pint of goo and a week later, amid various other minor and otherwise strange events, I wake up with an eye that is half swollen shut, with a pocket of fluid under one eyelid. Difficult to say if this is even related, but a strange thing to happen just the same.

For now, I'm going to work outside or in well ventilated areas, with and without the current set of rubber gloves (a new box that I've started using about the same time as current symptoms showed up) in an attempt to isolate what might be causing the problem. I may try just the gloves with no epoxy to see what happens.

For a long time now, any sanding of epoxy I do is with random orbital sanders, attached to my shop vac with dust filtration bags. And for good measure, will always use a respirator with cartridge filters. The one I have now is remarkably comfortable. Those paper masks are worthless. A full face mask might be the ultimate solution. An extreme thing to do, but so is building a 30 foot boat!

[bloggs68]

Audasea,

Also watch the type of gloves you are using. There was a big report here a few years ago regarding workplace safety with epoxies and thetype of gloves being used. Apparently there were lots of compensation issues not from boatbuilding but other industrial uses of epoxy. Ansell, the big glove maker wrote a report that examined their range of gloves and what actually provided any protection.

Out of all their range, only one heavy Nitrile gauntlet glove gave full protection and the only disposable glove that gave limited protection from was a nitrile one called a Touch'n'tough( showed permeation after 45 minutes). All other disposable gloves that they made were useless in stopping epoxy breakthrough. Ansell said

"Gloves made out of neoprene,natural rubber or vinyl, were not recommended for protection against epoxies."

There are so many people using cheap gloves out there thinking that they are looking after themselves but they aren't.

Makes an interesting read see
http://www.ansellchemsafe.com/Assets/contentFiles/Epoxy%20Resin%20For%20Website.pdf

What also is interesting is that all compensation claims by employees to do with epoxy sensitisation were accepted.

Once I read this and enquired further, I changed my business over to the nitrile gloves and change them if they are on for 30 minutes just to be safe.

You have to be very careful with this stuff if you want to use it for years to come.

Usual disclaimer - no affiliation

regards,

AD

[spyder]

I have found that using epoxy without adequate ventilation produces the itchy eyes. I use a fan forced ducted air supply to a full face mask that has solved the problem . It does tend to be a bit cumbersom if you need to move around alot which I don't really need to do where I'm working.

hope this helps

[Audasea]

An update.

It was suggested I switch from the product I was using to a "premium" product like MAS or System 3. The idea was the allergic reaction I was having was to some solvent or additive in the hardener. The hardeners for premium marine products have an ammonia smell when you open them. The RAKA product I was using doesn't smell the same in my opinion. Anyway, I have some System 3 products and ordered a small test sample of MAS. Tried them both and no reaction to either one...so far.

I also went back and glanced over the product manuals from WEST, S3, RAKA and MAS....mainly related to safety. Kinda regret using acetone to dab the raw stuff off my hands! In other words, I WAS (past tense) doing some dumb stuff. By switching products, I may be able to continue. To those starting out or working with the stuff on a continuous basis, all I can suggest is play it safe or your next boat may be your last.

And to be clear, I'm not knocking RAKA. I had excellent results from it...they have great customer support and really good prices....which is why I used them in the first place. And still not sure that is the fault of the their product, but using it, I sneeze....the others' I don't. Shoulda been more careful.

BTW, virtually all the literature suggests using a full face mask with organic vapor cartridge. Anybody know a 3M product number for the cartridges that should be used? If I start in on that 30 gallon job, I want to be able to finish it.

[Thorne]

Bloggs68 -

Interesting about the nitrile gloves. I use the inexpensive ones in boxes of 100, and replace them often. For prolonged use with epoxy or MEK or other solvents, I double them up == and change 'em often.

Audasea - Good news about switching brands as the solution! As for the carts, I just haul my respirator down to the hardware store and make sure the carts fit. Sears usually carries a full line of carts, as do many larger hardware stores.

[Raka025]

If you can smell it, it has entered your system. Period. How your body deals with it at that point is a function of how good your immune system is. A good friend of mine is more sensitive to West and does better now with MAS.

PS I have no relation/affiliation to Raka epoxy. It was the name of my dalmatian back in 1990 or so. I either saw it on the transom of a boat or it was in WoodenBoat? The meaning translated from Polynesian was "God of the Wind".

[Michael Beckman]

Nasty stuff. I've decided that I will refuse any and all work involving epoxy. I don't need to end up sensitized to that crap like so many others. I rather like being able to walk around town without fear of getting knocked out by a puff of fumes.

[Bill Lowe]

Ok but what about red lead, white lead luting, pine tars etc.

[Michael Beckman]

I'll be avoiding those as best as I can. One good consideration is that with red lead you aren't soaking the entire boat in the stuff.

As far as pine tar, well, I like traditional boats enough to deal with that. I don't care for the style of boats that epoxy produces, so I don't feel the need to use it.