DANGER BE Careful Using Parts Washers

[3macs1]

I have hesitated about posting this for months but after talking to now to eight mechanics including myself all under the age of 55 (36-55) battling rare endocrine types of cancer I have to. If this breaks any board rules I am sorry. Please understand I am not taking any position on this other than to make you aware of the potential.
Some history at age 43 dispite living a very healthy life style and no history of family cancer I was DX overnight with a rare form of pancreas cancer. I would not accept it and wanted to find out what would cause this with the experts telling me usually exposure to chrorinated hydrocarbons. I knew about Pahs, heavy metals, etc but what are these.
Then I discovered through a CAT mechanic who is also battling cancer parts washer solvents are full of them.
Sure enough like probally most of you I spent probally 5 years in a service station up to my elbows in this stuff not to mention I still have one home in the garage. It would get on my clothes also which I would just wash in the family washer. If you go to the site and check the MSDS sheet which I may add are never on the cans clearly state in the state of cal these chemicals are known to cause cancer yet it is still being sold today with all of us cleaning our parts with what we beleive is a safe product.This is just one manufacturer the other use similiar compositions.Lets be honest how many of us put on protective clothing and gloves prior to cleaning that part.
Please read this link and think twice when using parts washers. I will never prove which is not my intent that this caused my cancer but it did not help.If this post prevents one person from cancer it was worth it.If you open your drum and the solvent is greenish it is definately reused 105, clear could be virgin 105.
http://www.toxictorts.com/safety-kleen-lawsuit.shtml
http://www.safety-kleen.com/MSDS/82310rev10-21-05.pdf

[musclecarz]

Sorry to hear that Joe, Cancer is a cruel condition with very few answers, I am also a auto mechanic and started using rubber gloves about 6 years ago, I wish I had used them my whole life, I am 41 now , I believe everyone thinks their invincible untill around 35 years of age, Cleaners are the worst in my opinion. In our field they are stronger than the average person off the street can purchace without jumping through some hoops. Brake clean, Carb clean, stripper chemicals, all bad news when they touch your skin, your body can only rid you of harmful chemicals effectivly for so long. In my home town there is another auto repair shop owned by a guy I went to school with, 43 years old and a fellow gearhead , 4 months ago he also was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer out of no where.. Before now I didn't make a connection to the profession, Real life concern that should be considered by all that dable in any part of this hobby that will put you at risk, Not a pleasent topic,not all want to think about their past ill handlings of what are now considered very dangerous materials!! I hope everybody at least reads this topic and considers some changes..

[olredalert]

------I will take your post very seriously,,,,Thank you! What is the alternative in your estimation, if there is a good one???..........Bill S

[Keith Tedford]

I passed this on to all my friends who are likely to use this stuff. Good gloves and an exhaust fan would be a good investment.

[Mr70]

If we only knew then what we know now.
Say it ain't so Mr.Joe..

[68l30]

Thanks for the heads up.....This hits very close to home.Good luck...my thoughts and prayers are with you...

I work in a industry chock full of chemicals and can't stress enough the importance of MSDS sheets and proper training to go along with them....We're now starting to crack down on welding hazards..."Hex chrome" is another known cancer causing agent that is a by product of welding..esp TIG (tungston)..and other alloys...It aint safe out there....Wear a raincoat.

Steve

[Norm reynolds]

My God This is not good
I have been turning wenches since the early 60s Back then did not think twice about getting lacquer thinner brake clean 2+2 carb cleaner gasoline on my hands. I think we all did it some time in our lives did not think about what this stuff could do to us.
I think It was in the last 80s that I started to were gloves. I remember been made fun of by co worker Hey what do you think you are a brain surgeon. Now you see every one wearing them. Still There is no drought
That I have been exposed to these bad chemicals and wonder if I am now in my 50s will I have a problem. As the old saying does If we only knew back then what we know now.
Big business is always in for the money just look at the drug companies.
There are way to many drugs out there that can Kill you.
Needless to say This is a shame that Joe has pancreas cancer. It is not his fault.

[PeteLeathersac]

I feel sick to know this for Joe and his family's sake also pissed off at the Safety-Clean type groups!.

The only concern ever expressed by anyone regarding safety of these units has always been to make sure you were aware it was a fire hazard and you had the lead-melt self closing friggin' lid!!!.

I can't help but think back to my days on the bench and how besides cleaning parts every day, we'd all spend a few minutes before lunch and a good while at the end of the day cleaning your hands in this stuff before using the regular hand cleaner then on to the regular sink and water!.

I'm so sorry Joe and hope things go Ok from here on for you also want to thank you for posting this for all to see! .

~ Pete

[Keith Tedford]

Where I worked they used to have a booth with exhaust fans for the solvent tanks. Now the tanks are sitting in the open and you can drag a fan over to blow the fumes around the tool room for everyone else to breathe. At least there are gloves and masks available. Want to see something dangerous, check the MSDS sheets on Beryllium. Lead is 50-80 parts per million limit while for Beryllium it is about .002 parts per million. Breath the fumes or dust and you end up with berylliosis of the lungs. This element is used to toughen the copper in weld gun arms and other copper based parts. Very common in the auto industry. Like the guys laughing at the gloves, our guys weren't any better. We've had guys who spent years on surface and cylindrical grinders dying with cancer. A friend died just this past year and he was only about 58. Hard things to prove in specific cases, but statistics tell the true story. Elements of the same family usually cause the same problems in humans so I have been told eg. chlorine, fluorine, and bromine. In the past, when one has been found to be bad they just moved on to the next one until it was found out for what it is. It's a murky world this use of chemicals.

[Xplantdad]

Wow...this hits close to home for me. Right out of high school, I was working at an auto dealer in Anaheim...and since I was low man on the totem pole...I was "assigned" to wash all of the shop floors in the safety kleen solvent with a mop...then squeegee them dry. I, too, washed my hands in the solvent first...then with mechanics hand soap....when I was done working on cars.


Let us know how you are doing, Joe.