TITLE:
Respiratory Sensitization & Sickness from Welding/Burning Isocyanate Containing Paints
AUTHORS:
Terrence Stobbe, Ryan Westra
KEYWORDS:
Welding on Epoxy Paint, Burning Epoxy Paint, Welding Health Hazards, Burning Health Hazards
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.2 No.4,
July
11,
2014
ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this paper is to make the
environmental and occupational health community aware of a serious health risk
associated with the common practice of burning industrial paint off of metal
surfaces during or prior to welding. On four occasions bystanders and
welder/burner personnel have experienced illness as a result of being exposed
to the combustion products of isocyanate paints that were being burned off
metal surfaces. In each case, the burning and the exposed people were outside
in an open environment where the health risk was thought to be minimal due to
the open environment with nominal wind movement through the work area. In one
case, the person (a burner) developed permanent sensitization to phthalic
anhydride as a result of the exposure. Phthalic anhydride was determined to be
decomposition product of burned isocyanate paint. In the other three cases
(which involved very short exposures), between two and six people became ill
but did not develop sensitization. Their symptoms included dizziness, nausea,
headache, and breathing difficulty the severity of which varied from very
uncomfortable to temporarily incapacitating. This paper discusses the
circumstances associated with each event, the approach used to determine that
phthalic anhydride was a decomposition product, and some practical things that
can be done to avoid having employees become victims of exposure.