However, we have no information about the risks that might arise to the resident from exposure to the flaking surface of the refinished tub. The Perfect Drying Conditions You should let the tub surface to cure for 24 to 48 hours. Stripping products may also contain flammable solvents and flammability may be a concern. 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. While a new tub can cost as little as $150, labor expenses for the replacement process can easily add $1,500 or more to the bill. Our blog focused on the exposures from methylene chloride to workers during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. The guy who came to do tub had a fancy breathing mask that covered his whole face and tubes attached to his belt I was concerned when I saw the precautions he took but said it was no problem. 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. Thanks for sharing such a helpful information. Consult the OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert for specific information regarding engineering controls, exposure levels and air monitoring, personal protective equipment, worker training and medical surveillance. Thanks for telling us now. The following recommendations on respirator use are in the NIOSH/OSHA Alert. Thank you for this post. The NIOSH studies pertained only to workers who were applying methylene chloride (paint stripper) directly, and we have not studied consumer-related exposure. (Fun fact: You can make it any color you want, so if youve ever wanted a purple bathtub, that dream can be realized.). I am older with heart disease and lung disease. Is that legal? We can ask questions and be well-informed. Changing ones business practices and methods can certainly be a daunting task and a big decision, but in the case of methylene chloride and bathtubs it is an important, potentially lifesaving one. For consumer concerns such as this you may want to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. You may want to ask the installer for the products safety data sheet which may have useful information on curing times and precautions. and products contain ISOs. They took all precautions and said the fumes were gone, its only a smell. We'll put an entirely new finish over the existing tub or tile in your bathroom. The Environmental Protection Agency provides general information and resources on indoor air quality in apartments, see https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-air-quality-apartments. If you know the name of the product that was used, you may be able to find it by searching on the Internet. The fumes were so strong that it gave me a headache and caused me to become nauseated. I blog often and I really appreciate your content. In February 2012, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to refinish a bathtub was found dead, slumped over a bathtub in an unventilated bathroom. God bless you! Of course I wont be using it for a good week or so just to be safe, but I dont even use bleach or Flash to clean my tub because of the chemicals getting into the bathwater; even rinsing thoroughly. This article does a good job calling attention to the dangers of methylene chloride products and noting that many people dont know how dangerous it is. Read more about our comment policy . Just trying to speak up for low income and maybe other apartment dwellers too. They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. I started reading articles and ended up reading most of the comments in this blog. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Now what about substances that are used in bathtub refinishing as final top-coats such as Aliphatic Acrylic Urethane, or, another, as one company advertises: Porcelain Glaze-a new type of chemical finish. What is porcelain glaze? If you just bought a Mercedes, would you put a rubber mat on the roof? White asks. Ask Sam: Will the U.S. Supreme Court end rent stabilization? After working in retail for many years, my mother retired, began buying and refinishing furniture. Thanks for sharing such a helpful article about bathtub refinishing. My building was recently sold and our rent was raised by 100 percent. The Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) program at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has profiled two businesses that successfully strip bathtubs without MC. I had my cast iron tub reglazed on a very hot humid day. My concern is whether it is safe to take long soaks in this tub. Because this process, which involves spraying a new topcoat on your existing tub and/or tile, is significantly cheaper, easier, cleaner, and less time-consuming than actually replacing a tub. Seek medical attention for treatment and evaluation. My friend was in the bathroom for only 4 minutes until his co workers had discovered him lying head first into the bathtub, still wearing proper mask and gloves both of which in good condition. I sure wish homeowners not use those diy Kits. This may be an ignorant comment, so please accept my apology preemptively if so. ECO-FRIENDLY No Odor Tub Reglazing: Fumes-free and made without harmful chemicals, Ekopel's long-lasting, oil-free glaze never peels! Those DIY kits are not cutting it. We have for years been trying to come up with a Stripper that will remove Epoxy DIY kits that do not have the Methylene Chloride but time is an issue. good cotent, i like it. The fumes are strong in the bathroom so I have the bathroom door closed, vent on. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Its thick, full-seal coating restores tub surfaces to a "like new" bright gloss. Methylene chloride exposure may cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, a feeling of intoxication, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Thank you for your comment. NIOSH cannot provide individual medical advice. I remember my grandfather saying something about antifreeze having that safety precaution I believe. You can refinish a tub yourself if youre a true DIY-er, but the new finish can look painted or different than the original color or texture. IT IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.I LIKE YOUR POST BECAUSE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME AS WELL. if we do we get evicted. Follow all applicable OSHA standards, including the Methylene Chloride standard (. We slept inside the apartment after the workers did the bathtub glazing, should we go to the clinic to make sure we are fine? Its either not portable or cost prohibitive. Id thought of using a refinishing kit, but after reading this, I guess Ill just live with the chip. Contact Us Today For A Free Bathtub Refinish Estimate Call [phone] or complete the contact form below for a FREE estimate! Thanks to those whoever posted this article. Its also useful to mention that there are different types of chemicals which use MC as an active ingredient. Is there any danger that the enamel could have absorbed the refinishing chemicals to be released into my bath water at this later date? These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. Superior heavy duty Reglazing. Is that dangerous as well? Thanks. Making safety precautions is the priority for all kinds of work. NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. Is it dangerous to any or all of us? Cristine. If bathroom smells awful two days after resurfacing is that just the coating or also the dangerous MC? I have blocked the drain over night but it did not eliminate the smell. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or difficulty staying awake require immediate medical attention. It smelled awful for days. i like it. I use it in good ventilation and, if Im going to be doing much work, I use a respirator. Ron, I have a similar question to the one already asked. AND DURING CLEANING. I could not believe how hard it was to even find a kit to purchase, which led me to wonder why. I stripped the lead paint off the outside of an old cast iron tub using a low-VOC paint stripper suitable for lead paint, and then primed and painted the exterior. Exposure to methylene chloride can be lethal. It is now 5:30 p.m., and the fumes in the apartment are too much to bear. My head and stomach hurts, and I have a bad taste in my mouth. I have personally resurfaced in the past for investment properties, and have smelt the sweet smell, but never was affected , luckily. We're starting to see chipped areasThey're more in the tub than on the walls. The Health and Safety Executive is our policing force that helps prevent the tragic consequences of injuries and even fatalities in the workplace. I have 2 small kids and an infant. I certainly will be approaching this much differently. Im a Painting Contractor in Anchorage, Alaska and this is a really good post for me to see! If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Thanks for the post on this. Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and would fully evaporate shortly after a project is completed. Scratching the tub would not release any methylene chloride vapors. Ask Sam: I saw my apartment on a listing site, but I havent received any notice from my landlord. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. At least 14 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. I am unknown form this . If you are concerned about the smells, you could seek help from your local health department. Thank you for your comment. I am thankful to those who began to get the word out to the general public, you have certainly saved lives by doing so. Bathtub refinishing can be very dangerous indeed, I have seen many poorly trained so called bathtub refinishing specialists using dangerous chemicals to refinish bathtubs in peoples homes without the proper ventilation systems in place and without using the proper protective equipment necessary. He was formally pronounced brain dead at the hospital, the same day of the incident. This is great information to share to hopefully make us more aware and careful. Thanks so much for the info! We are not familiar with the finishes you mention. But if we get together as a group of experienced bathtub refinishers I am positive that we can come up with a simple solution that will keep us safe. 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. So, it should not present a long-term hazard to the residents after the project. I now have a colostomy, urostomy,skin cancers and CKD(chronic kidney disease)with only one kidney working and that only functions at 15%. I use a flexible flat blade scraper and then sand with an aggressive grit. The whole job will take around 5 hours after which you will have a reglazed bathtub. It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. Bathtub Refinishing matters should be left to professionals to complete. Works on all types of surfaces. Alternatively, you can search on Methylene Chloride and Safety Data Sheet for a listing of various SDSs for similar products. Exposure to as little as six ounces of methylene chloride-based material has been enough to cause death. This is a moderated site and your comments will be reviewed before they are posted. We had it done over a year ago, and even with ventilation, I was outside in January feezing temps. According to OSHA, you must also provide local exhaust ventilation and make-up air to replace the vapors removed by the exhaust. However since Kevin was an organ donor, they kept his body on life support, in order to preserve is heart, liver, and kidneys. Adults? and it was very helpful for people, In addition to the hazards of strippers, old porcelain bathtubs, sinks and tiles manufactured before the mid-1990s could also have lead in the glaze, which could leach into bathwater, or if sanded or scraped could form a dust that if ingested by young children (who touch it with bare skin) could cause lead poisoning. Half-mask respirators may NOT be used because methylene chloride may cause eye irritation or damage. Its used to strip paint and varnish from furniture which will be refinished. In our blog we state that methylene chloride cannot be smelled until the level in the air is higher than OSHAs permissible exposure limits (PELs). Its staff and technicians from any and . When engineering and work practice controls cannot decrease methylene chloride levels below OSHAs PELs (25 ppm over an 8-hour TWA or 125 ppm over a 15-minute period), employers must provide their workers with full-face atmosphere-supplying respirators. Publication number 81-8c-2013. Located at [http://www.refinishersonline.com] and I helped in two the studies before this report was finalized. Quite naive of me. Whenever respirators are required to be worn, the employer must establish and implement a complete respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of OSHAs Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134), including proper selection, usage, training and medical surveillance (OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert: Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers, February 2013, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2013-110 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-110/ ). I own a small bathtub refinishing business and we have committed to stay away from M.C. NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. It is often referred to as dichloromethane and has many industrial uses, such as paint stripping, metal cleaning, and degreasing. I live in a small one bedroom apartment and I just had my tub resurfaced. In workers with heart disease, an increase in carbon monoxide may lead to early onset heart attacks and arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). I think our tub would look so much nicer if we had it refinished. Last night I went to bed with a headache, then vomited on and off throughout the night. We had maintenance workers come by and resurface it earlier this week, but they did not properly ventilate the chemical smell and the stench is still there. Thank you! Methylene chloride is a volatile liquid and would have fully evaporated shortly after the project was completed. Refinishing a bathtub is a less costly . Ive asked for a materials data sheet and nothing. Provided your surface was prepped correctly, you can expect your reglazed tub and/or tile to be good for about seven to 10 years, and the more you take care of it, the longer it will last. It's also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. 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 think there are actually regulations on workers on how long they may be subjected to this chemical during a work day. I worked at [Company name removed] for 14years. It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. She refinished furniture in our garage. Follow good housekeeping measures, including spill and leak control and appropriate personal hygiene practices (such as making skin washing areas available to workers). Then, remove any cover plates, drain plugs and bathtub spouts. What's included in a deal sheet when you buy a NYC apartment? *Note that there are reports that a fresh air system is . I wish I had read this blog before the procedure. Im not aware of any can anyone point me in the right direction please? Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Is it safe to stay???? Weve added a resource to try and educate those who are using these processes and offered a number of safer alternatives to using substances other than methylene chloride here: http://jwcpropertyservices.co.uk/bathtub-refinishing-dangers/. Thetoxic fumesreleased during the processnot only make your apartment smell bad, theyre dangerous if not dealt with properly. I think people always take safety for too lightly. The process commonly involves removing the bathtub's existing finish before applying a new coating, usually a synthetic finish such as polyurethane or epoxy. Wearing a dust mask should not be confused with fitting a respirator with organic cartridges. We face inspections every year where lots of tubs are refinished in this building.but no precautions are ever taken to protect the residents and their animals. Bathtub Reglazing Experts. Find them at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Pubs/#General Why? They take the dirt out but also take part of the glaze, he says. Step 2: Clean the Tub Thoroughly Step 3: Protect Areas Around the Tub Step 4: Remove the Glaze Step 5: Sand the Surface Step 6: Prep the Surface for Glaze Application Its in our best interest to devise a way to remove these coatings without harming ourselves or the environment. I have never thought of this before! However, the human body can quickly become desensitized to the smell and a worker may be overexposed even if he or she can no longer smell it. But if we ever have it done again, I will definitely check to be sure its a safe process for the workers AND the homeowners. The toxins became so concentrated in a short period of time due to lack if ventilation and confined space. Is there some disconnect between science, policy and legal enforcement? It hurt to know my best friend was no longer alive but his body stayed warm and breathing only by use of machines. Ya, very helpful articles are posted. This Northern California real estate agent is living the green Dream. This is in response to Chris concerning isocyanates use in coatings. I only use stripper when absolutely necessary. The maintenance man telephoned 911 and then a second maintenance man. So how and why are these places allowed to keep doing that tub refinishing if its so dangerous?? I guess this is one of those occupational hazard jobs when doing bathtub refinishing. I have stripped hundreds of tubs. Thank you so much! Wow! The Centers for Disease Control has more information on lead hazards on their web site. Brooklyn resident (and Brick Underground contributor) Donna Airoldirecently hadher tub reglazed, and she even scrubbed it before her contractor cleaned it. If this could be dangerous, government should put strict in purchasing this kind of toxic to avoid casualties for workers and even consumers. We pride ourselves on the work we do and strive to provide the best quality service in the refinishing and resurfacing industry. The home I purchased a few years ago came with cast iron bathtub and ceramic tile walls that had been covered with a 2-step epoxy finish. This bathtub renovation option goes by many names resurfacing, recoating, refinishing or reglazing but has a pretty straightforward process. I dont think I had the right mask on. Until the finishing dries, it is a good idea to leave the house. (Removing a tub and installing a new one can cost thousands, and if youre in an apartment building, it might even require getting your downstairs neighbor involved as it may impact plumbing beyond your apartment. There are alternatives to using methylene chloride (MC) for bathtub stripping. There are bathtub refinishing companies out there, [company name removed] are using safe processes for refinishing your bathtub, you just have to ask the tough questions. I think this post was very helpful in knowing the bad effects of such dangerous products. Melissa. When working with stripper or using solvents,acid,etcas well as applying your refinishing product.ALWAYS USE A FRESH-AIR SYSTEM..NOT MASKSmasks leak so they dont give the protection you need for long term exposure.I use a mask only when Im outside mixing or gathering my equipment when the job is finished and I should be using the fresh air system while I do that.Also cover your skinsome of these chemical will get into your body through your skin.Good LuckKeep yourself safe..DO YOUR RESEARCH. All are members dread strip jobs.Frankly I dont know why someone would choose them.
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