Proper Clothing for protecting yourself from Chems

[Lou Beach 14]

Well, I had my first experience with HD80 this weekend and it wasnt a good one.

Burned the heck out of my knees with the stuff. I had long bluejeans on but the HD80 soaked right through the bluejeans when I was rinsing and did a number on my knees. I also had issues with HD80 blowing back in my face when I was applying it so I have some red spots on my nose and cheeks from the product.

Looking for suggestions on how to best protect my legs and face when using this product. I had goggles on when applying the chem but that didn't stop the product from blowing back onto my cheeks and nose. I also was covered in clothing from neck to feet but that didnt stop the HD80 from soaking into my pants and burning my knees.

What do you wear when applying and rinsing the caustic chems?

thanks

PS: no responses telling me that I'm lazy and should go out in the backyard and experiment.

[Neil_Asheville 114]

Lou. Sorry to hear about the burns. What type of project were you working on? Curious.

/neil

[Celeste 341]

PVC PVC PVC - There are also face shields that work quite well.

See www.teksupply.com for inexpensive pvc pants, jackets & bib overalls. We got our face shields at Lowe's.

Celeste

[James 624]

Lou wear a body condum!! LOL. Was it windy ? Wear a wet suit and boots up to your knees. The rest is common sence. Keep a bucket of water near by to splash your self. If you know a chem is on your skin rinse pronto!! A water bottle that squirts is a handy tool.

[PressurePros 248]

Lou, some people are more sensitive than others. One of my guys can stir it with his arm while whistling Sweet Georgia Brown. I have another guy that dresses like we are fumigation bombing an airtight trailer. I am somewere in between. If I have a strong strip I wear a chemical approved dust mask and face shield. I have third degree burn scars on my back from wearing a back pack sprayer that is why I warn people against using them. I mainly worry about my eyes and face.

Keep a bottle of lemon juice in a squirt bottle and immediately neutralize anything that gets on you.

[Lou Beach 14]

I was working on my first deck that I was doing myself and it is PITA.

It sits about 14 feet off the ground in some spots and has two coats of Behr semi-transparent on it. The ground around the deck is uneven so using ladders to get to the outside part of the deck has been very difficult. Stripping has been a major pain as I have had to strip some areas twice to get all the stain off and I still have spindles and some railing that STILL have the previous stain on it. I see some sanding to get the stain entirely off. And of the course the hardest areas to get too have the most difficult stain to remove.

this first deck is truly baptism by fire!

Definately going to look into the PVC clothing (thanks Celeste) as I dont want this to happen again. I had to spray and rinse up a lot because of the height of the deck and the chem and rinse would come back down on me, soak my pants and and evidently bleed through to my knee caps.

[PressurePros 248]

Welocme to wood resto, Lou. When we were talking the other day and you described the deck I knew what you were in for but I figured it was best to let you experience it for yourself. So what do you think, do we earn every dollar doing wood restoration or what?

[CCPC 26]

I don't really do much wood, but when I have, or when applying F-18 to concrete, I try and always where a respirator. I must be one of those rare people that has very little visable effects from contact with skin because I've gotten the stuff on me plenty of times and have never had a burn (sometimes a slight itch). Like Ken, I'm also real big on protecting my eyes.

[RPetry 564]

do we earn every dollar doing wood restoration or what?

Truth. Says it all.

Lou,

Sometimes creativity comes into play. For example, doing a 14 ft. high balustrade does not necessarily mean you have to use a ladder and apply your strippers, neutralizers, and stains from the ground using ladders. Friggin' NaOH coming down on your head and 4 gpm. of water soaking you to the skin is not a pleasant way to spend the day working.

Chems can easily be applied from deck height. May take some leaning over the rail but is a small price to pay verses using a ladder or huge scaffold. A PW gun with a short flex extension used with care (watch your hands!) can also be used from the deck floor to rinse your stripper off the wood.

I'm finishing staining a job tomorrow that has part of the bottom of the balustrade starting at ~ 11 ft. from ground level. 90% of the spindles and rails were stripped, PW, neutralized, and stained from the top of the deck. A rolling portable scaffold takes care of the lower kick rail and bottom of the spindles. The lower fascia is done from the scaffold.

I get a little wet but wear a rain suit, it is no problem. You could not pay me to wear a PVC suit in temps above 80, I'd die of heat exhaustion.

[JFife 14]

I'm not saying to take my advice, but I stay away from all that protective gear. It's not the Naoh that hurts you that sprinkles your arm and you rinse it, is the dose that creeps in and finds a place to nestle, like your knees found out.

Like Ken said, just mist with vinegar or something acidic to neutralize. The two worst places to get it are, 2) your lips, and 1) FINGERNAILS!!!

Personally, I apply all that stuff with an 8' wand or something, and work out of the wind. You just have to learn that one. If I see a cloud coming towards me of Naoh, I just hold my breath and turn my back to it.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Lou,

You can use lemon juice, vinegar or even a bottle of coke or pepsi to neutralize. We carry a gallon of cheap vinegar on all deck jobs. Get PVC suit, get eye protection (goggles), get a chemical respirator and by all means use them. Nitrile gloves are a MUST. Also you will learn real fast about wind or breeze and learn to check the air before you spray...Trees are your friends, they tell you when the wind comes. If you get hit with chems, water to dilute dilute dilute is your friend, but always neutralize. Also remember the reverse can happen with an acid, and if that hits you then use a mild dish soap to neutralize.

Feel better soon. :)

Beth

[RPetry 564]

Jon,

Do not mean to intrude or ask personal questions, but how does one get sodium hydroxide on the lips? Is there a KISS test I have not learned?

Just kidding of course! But still, just kind of curious...

Nitrile gloves (what are they?), PVC suit, are not in my equipment inventory. Safety glasses and respirator are on every job but to be honest, don't personally use them much anymore. OSHA would have a fit.

[JFife 14]

...you never have the mist blow into your face?? (maybe you wear a dustmask). ....or maybe it is just my collagen injections:)

[James 624]

A great weight loss technique is to wear your PVC suit in JUNE thru AUG.

[Lou Beach 14]

Yes Ken, I am earning my money and then some on this deck. Its the height of the deck and the fact that its a townhouse (next door neighbors deck is about 2 feet away) is making some areas on the deck very difficult to get too without using a ladder and I hate ladders.

I was able to strip a lot of the outside spindles and railing by leaning over the railing but there was an area around the entire deck that I could not reach over far enough to get too and so I had to tackle it from the ground, numerous time because the previous sealer was hard to get off even with HD80 at full strenth with 25 minute dwell times.

I spent 10 hours on it by myself and still have some stain left to remove. When I collect this check I will have earned every penny of it and will not bid a deck like this for under a grand ever again. :)

[RPetry 564]

Jon,

Yeah, I've tasted stripper many a time. You are right, wind second sight is key. Splash water on the face and go back at it. Never noticed burning on the lips though, you must have sensitive smoochers. The ladies must love ya'!

"A great weight loss technique is to wear your PVC suit in JUNE thru AUG."

Agree. Use to scuba dive off of NJ. Even in the dead of summer, needed a dry suit due to the cold temps at depth. Between being suited up prior to diving and the warmer near surface waters, would lose 3 or 4 lbs. per 2 dive charter. Can't even stand a respirator any longer when it is hot. Plus 'ya can't smoke with those things over your mouth and nose. Who needs that? NaOH and RS stain mist is the least of harm to these old abused set of bellows.

[tropical wave 22]

if its not super windy I dont have many problems with the stripper, just rubber gloves (most of the time) and rubber boots, but Ill wear safety glasses minimum......its the damn oxalic that gets me, as soon as I spray just a little and I feel it in my lungs, cough cough then think "dumbass, you forgot the respirator" then I gotta go back to the truck and get it...faceshield, gloves, boots and a rain suit for ox if its windy or Im underneath spraying upwards..... the stripper just "tingles" a bit on my skin, but the ox is brutal to me......last year I did some undersides that were just crazy, I hate spraying chems up on a deck.

[James 624]

"Life's a Beach" Lou ! I ' ve been working in the wind for two weeks. It's quite windy now I just came in from a bike ride ( pedals) almost lost is a few time's.

[RPetry 564]

Mike,

Try citric acid. You can buy it online at the Chemistry Store for ~ $94 per 50 lbs. which includes shipping. 6 oz./gal., blow it on and walk away if you are using RS. It's food grade, you can drink it if thirsty, and does not harm anything, including yourself. Does sting if it gets in the eyes, but it tastes like lemon.

[JFife 14]

".....Least of harm to these old abused set of bellows."

--another one for the archives, Rick. Very funny!:)

[tropical wave 22]

Mike,

Try citric acid. You can buy it online at the Chemistry Store for ~ $94 per 50 lbs. which includes shipping. 6 oz./gal., blow it on and walk away if you are using RS. It's food grade, you can drink it if thirsty, and does not harm anything, including yourself. Does sting if it gets in the eyes, but it tastes like lemon.

Ive thought about that, I just have a lot of oxalic yet to go.....thnx

[Lou Beach 14]

Try citric acid

Would that be for neutralizing the wood?

[RPetry 564]

Lou,

Yes. Citric acid brightens and neutralizes the wood, the same as oxalic. It takes a bit more time to work than oxalic from what I have been told. I do not care as on most jobs I do not rinse the citric acid solution off the wood.

The other upside is that it is not harmful to you, any workers, foliage and customers appreciate the "environmental" angle. Plus it is food grade so you can drink it if thirsty and prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency disorder)!

[Barry M 73]

if its not super windy I dont have many problems with the stripper, just rubber gloves (most of the time) and rubber boots, but Ill wear safety glasses minimum......its the damn oxalic that gets me, as soon as I spray just a little and I feel it in my lungs, cough cough then think "dumbass, you forgot the respirator" then I gotta go back to the truck and get it...faceshield, gloves, boots and a rain suit for ox if its windy or Im underneath spraying upwards..... the stripper just "tingles" a bit on my skin, but the ox is brutal to me......last year I did some undersides that were just crazy, I hate spraying chems up on a deck.

I was using some today on a house and got a drop in my eye.....son of a....man that burned. I hate wearing safety glasses when doing a house because the chlorine constantly spots them up and I can't see, and I forgot to put them on when I used oxalic on some rust stains. But I know what you mean about getting a big whiff of that stuff, it takes your breath away and makes you cough, kinda like when the doctor checks your fellas out, know what I mean?