Health history

QUOTE: I just hope that no politicians read this forum, otherwise we'll no doubt find they want to bring in laws banning modelling on health and safety grounds, or laws demanding that modelling can only take place if you have a specially built room with thousands of pounds worth of safety equipment and comulsory third party liability insurance!!!!!!!

Some of you guys might laugh at this, but a few years ago there was a movement and discussion by OSHA and other groups, and even made it on the House Floor, that sawdust should be considered a health hazard. Which would literaly classify every home shop as a hazardous work area and reclassify sawdust and airborne particulate as a hazardous material. The uproar in the woodworking community and industries was deafening. The ludicrous and inane wording of criteria and just the whole concept seemed hilarious till many of the trade mags started laying out in plain english what this would mean and worse cost. Everyone stopped laughing then and got real serious. Fortunately this was killed quickly and buried insomeones backyard but the thought of it alone still gives me the heebee jeebies. To think that someone put time into this and that elected officials and government beauracrecies wasted time on it was even scarier. Knock on wood and throw salt on your shoulder that some bored beauraucrat dosen't feel like justifying his job one day and goes sniffing around the LHS.

Well I'll use my father as a case in point. He smoked 3 packs a day for 50 years. He stopped at 70. Today he is 78 and pretty healthy. My friends dad died of lung cancer recently at age 61. Bad habits or whatnot affects everyone differently. I sorta of have a "if it happens, it happens" attitude. I still try to be careful, but I figure I'll die from some work related illness than anything else. Can't stop them chemicals!

Nobody's mentioned the mental stress caused by launching a tiny part into the shag carpet--that can't be too healthful!

Reggie,
When in doubt, err on the side of caution.
Your local OHS government department can provide you with, or direct you to, MSDS sheets for whatever substance you're using.
Personally, I always use a 2 stage organic filter cartridge in my respirator when I'm painting.
I sometimes get burning eyes when I cast a lot of resin in a sitting - better ventilation would be a good idea - like the exhaust fan over my stove.
But as resins contain di-isocyanates (some can be very bad indeed), again, err on the side of caution.
Remember, asbestos was man's best friend at one stage.

I just hope that no politicians read this forum, otherwise we'll no doubt find they want to bring in laws banning modelling on health and safety grounds, or laws demanding that modelling can only take place if you have a specially built room with thousands of pounds worth of safety equipment and comulsory third party liability insurance!!!!!!!

I've been modelling for 47 years and, apart from a mild haert attack, 10 years ago and having to wear glasses for reading and modelling. I'm still here building, I also have a health and safety ticket, some of you have seen the pics my work area, it's the spare room of my unit and I open the window when I need to and run a fan if I need more ventillation. It works for me.

Rob.

QUOTE: Originally posted by roadkill_275 QUOTE: Originally posted by ReggieFrancia i'm glad that everyone healthy. It just scares me evrytime i use my glue or paint labeled "has a known substance that can cause repro problems or CA." Since most of you have been modeling for some time now and never had a single health related problem i guess it's just what i needed to hear to continue modeling. Thanks for the replies. Ah, that would explain it then. EVERYTHING causes cancer in California. You'll find that warning on just about anything that contains more than three reactive chemicals. There for awhile in Sacramento, that warning was included in the water bill. And people wonder why I don't drink much water.

I wish I still had the article. It was from thirty or so years ago.
Seems a couple of pre-grad students made some teeny, tiny liesure suits. They put them on a group of rats. They had another group of rats that had no liesure suits.
More of the rats with the suits developed cancer than the ones that went around in the buff.
Thus their conclusion. Liesure suits cause cancer.

Randie

QUOTE: Originally posted by fightnjoe off the topic a little. did you know that if you drink too much soda at one sitting it can cause cancer? of course i have never drunk that much in one sitting. i believe the number is in the hundreds. ok back on subject. joe

No, I didn't know that but I do know people like to say, "oh yellow 5, a substance found in Mountain Dew, lowers your sperm count." The first time I heard that, I knew it was bs. Scientists did a study and found you would have to drink hundreds of cans of Dew during the day in order for it to have a "noticeable" effect on your levels.

Don't think I drank enough soda to get cancer, but I think I hurt myself when I snorfed soda through my nose while reading joe's post......

I owe you joe......

Only problems I've had are nearly severed fingertips from slipping X-acto knives.

off the topic a little. did you know that if you drink too much soda at one sitting it can cause cancer? of course i have never drunk that much in one sitting. i believe the number is in the hundreds.

ok back on subject.

joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by renarts If you have concerns about paints or chemistry you might be using in the hobby, contact the company that manufactures it and request an msds sheet. (Material Safety Data Sheet) it will gove you all the pertinent info needed including heavy metals content, flash point etc. While it may not give up proprietary info it will give you the essentials.

Very true. Another important point is that it will tell you what safety equipment to use for the chemical in question. I'm a safety officer at my company and the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are one of my responsibilities. There's lots of useful information on those pages that will keep you safe and healthy.

QUOTE: Originally posted by ReggieFrancia i'm glad that everyone healthy. It just scares me evrytime i use my glue or paint labeled "has a known substance that can cause repro problems or CA." Since most of you have been modeling for some time now and never had a single health related problem i guess it's just what i needed to hear to continue modeling. Thanks for the replies.

Ah, that would explain it then. EVERYTHING causes cancer in California. You'll find that warning on just about anything that contains more than three reactive chemicals. There for awhile in Sacramento, that warning was included in the water bill. And people wonder why I don't drink much water.

i'm glad that everyone healthy. It just scares me evrytime i use my glue or paint labeled "has a known substance that can cause repro problems or CA." Since most of you have been modeling for some time now and never had a single health related problem i guess it's just what i needed to hear to continue modeling. Thanks for the replies.

I think as long as you use a mask for airbrushing, especialy if you're using enamels and if your sanding alot of resin or using a dremel to hog out resin from some of the aftermarket stuff you should be ok. Do what you feel is appropriate to your own safety.

If you have concerns about paints or chemistry you might be using in the hobby, contact the company that manufactures it and request an msds sheet. (Material Safety Data Sheet) it will gove you all the pertinent info needed including heavy metals content, flash point etc. While it may not give up proprietary info it will give you the essentials.

All said, it is your responsibility to act as you see fit and appropriately with the materials being used. Some of the materials used in the hobby are hazardous. Cellulose based solvents, resin dust, laquers, etc. all have the potential for harm. But so does a bowl of cornflakes if misused so its really what you are comfortable with.

nothing that a good plastiic prosthectic device wouldn't help. thats what she says!!. not in my hobby shop!. i got principles. semper fi, mike

I had a complete physical right after my non model related accident. The doctor said I am in perfect health, for a man my age. I have been building models for over 50 years. The only problem I have is five thumbs on each hand.

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Voss QUOTE: Originally posted by ReggieFrancia Post it here if you've had a respiratory problem like asthma, lung CA, or emphysema. Skin problems, Liver, kidney, or even reproductive problems you think was caused by our tools/kits. I hope you're not a lawyer in real life. This reminds me of those commercials for class action lawsuits.

I was thinking the same thing, David.
We could all end up with a check for $2.53 US and the attorney will retire in the Bahamas with a summer home on a thousand acres of prime hunting and fishing land in Montana!!

Randie

i have many allergies and have suffered from asthma all my life. modeling does not affect me at all. i try to make sure i glue and paint in well ventilated areas. i also make sure, just in case, that i have my inhaler close. of course if i do happen to make the mistake of doing anything in a non ventilated area of the house my wife goes through the roof and then i get great ventilation.

joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by ReggieFrancia Post it here if you've had a respiratory problem like asthma, lung CA, or emphysema. Skin problems, Liver, kidney, or even reproductive problems you think was caused by our tools/kits.

I hope you're not a lawyer in real life.

This reminds me of those commercials for class action lawsuits.

nor me , never had any problems health wise while modelling , lost my temper a couple of times

I think the three packs of cigaretts, the 1/2 bottle of Jack Daniels, and the 6 pack of beer I used to do while modeling may have done more harm than any of the glues or paints.

As long as you work in a well ventilated area, you will be just fine. It is a good idea to use the resperator, or a mask when painting or sanding large areas or if you don't have good ventilation. Like was said earlier, make sure you have the proper filters and are wearing the mask correctly, otherwise your just causing yourself more discomfort.
Scott

Reggie,

I started modeling back when airplane glue was really something (in the 1940s) and have been modeling off and on ever since. Like some of the others, I had mental anguish. That and a few scars from exacto and scalple blades. No other health problems related to the hobby. Just follow safe proceedures as you are now doing and you should be fine.

Richard

I have incurred no physical health impairments as a direct result of modelling exposure, but there may have been a few bouts of minor mental & emotional stress and the occassional case of post-traumatic stress syndrome following modelling disarsters.

I find this Toxicology Report of Modelling quite a while back:
http://www.clubhyper.com/toxicologyfm_1.htm

My health hasn't suffered from 36 years of modelling. Now my sanity however...............

Based on my latest medical check-up. I am A-OK.

I've been modeling off and on for over 40 years and nothing bad to report.
Heck, I was using Testors tube glue when it was REALLY good!
As far as reproductive problems? My wife dropped twins on me in 1979!! But, I REALLY don't think modeling had anything to do with that!

Randie

I have been modeling off and on for years and I have no health problems( other than breaking my arm a month ago) but I think that if yiu are that worried about health risks then maybe you might want to quit the hobby. I can buy into the respirator for the airbrush painting but nothing else. BTW to wear a respirator you are supposed to be trained on it. Otherwise it does no good