cermark safety

[Brie -Anne Bryan]

Hi Everyone!

So I have a rather large cermark job today and everyone in my office got into a discussion about the hazardous effects of cermark. I've read the material safety data sheet and feel that there's some pretty hazardous stuff in it and should protect myself accordingly. I don't thin and airbrush my cermark...just apply with a brush. My boss says that with this application I need not worry so much about it, but I would think that the fumes alone would be pretty hazardous. It seems to give everyone a headache everytime I use it. Skin contact I'm sure is a problem as well, as I'm sure the chemicals can leech into the skin and then the blood stream. My boss seems to think this is an over reaction. I just wanted to get everyone else's opinion on the matter. What do you guys think? and what measures do you go to to protect yourselves while using it?

[Gary Hair]

The only precaution I take is when I'm spraying, I use a dust mask. The "fumes" are the alcohol evaporating, not sure about anything while lasering. If I have a large run to do at one time I'll run my exhaust fan for a few seconds when the job completes, otherwise I don't.

As for the MSDS - have you seen an MSDS for water? If you did you would swear it was for some kind of toxic chemical.

If you are really concerned then I would suggest you email Ferro for their suggestions regarding safe usage.

Oh, and I agree with your boss... but it is your body so you need to be comfortable with whatever you decide.

Gary

[Mike Null]

I use it quite a bit and do not use a mask or gloves. I spray mostly but use a sponge brush as well. Never noticed anything.

[Steve Clarkson]

I was never concerned about it until I found out that they stopped making the red and yellow cermark because the cadmium levels were too high and unsafe.

[Dee Gallo]

I have sprayed a lot of different paints and other materials like cermark, shellac, lacquer and dyes. Any particulates that you might breathe in are not good for your system, so if you don't have an exhaust booth, you should wear a mask if you can't hold your breath long enough. That was not a joke. It normally takes such a short amount of time to apply cermark that I usually just hold my breath and spray the object sitting in my sink for easy cleanup. It's heavy and does not float around.

As far as MSDS sheets go, I had hundreds of them in my job to keep track of. The most ridiculous one was for pencils. They are not only flammable but the erasers are abrasive. I was told that even though every teacher had pencils in their classrooms, they were used as "tools" in my Commercial Art shop, so I had to keep them on inventory and sign them out as tools. So you see, it all in the eye of the regulator.

As a normal habit you should always blow your nose and wash your hands after handling sprays of any kind.

cheers, dee

[Dan Hintz]

The only precaution I take is when I'm spraying, I use a dust mask. The "fumes" are the alcohol evaporating, not sure about anything while lasering. If I have a large run to do at one time I'll run my exhaust fan for a few seconds when the job completes, otherwise I don't.

As for the MSDS - have you seen an MSDS for water? If you did you would swear it was for some kind of toxic chemical.

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