Duplicolor paint health concerns?

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I just read the label on some of my duplicolor paints and it got me thinking. How dangerous are these paints? On engine enamel paint it says any sort of contact with the paint, including inhaling vapours, can cause health problems. Does anyone have any experience with health issues caused by paint?

I usually wear goggles, hoodie, and some sort of mask, but on one of the paints it says I have to use a mask approved by some organization (forgot exactly, guessing one of the government organizations). How important are these industry-strenght raspirators? I usually paint in my garage and sometimes the smell of the paint goes into the house. Is this a big problem?

Thanks

EDIT: How about glasses? Are air tight safety glasses/goggles required? I usually use regular safety glasses to protect me from mist. Just got myself air tight goggles for painting and they conflict with my respirator so I'm not sure if I want to use them. How important is it to use them?

Edited April 15, 2012 by CEKPETHO BCE

[martinfan5]

Any air born chemical that is sprayed can and will cause a health problem, just not limited to paint.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I understand, I just want to know how serious this is

[Brizio]

Agree!

When I paint I usually use a like the one in picture. If you paint in closed area, open the window.

[Casey]

It was probably an OHSA-approved mask you read about. A good quality respirator is a must when working around fumes and airborne particles, regardless if they are from paint, wood, acid, etc. You can get a good quality half-face 3M respirator for about $40, and it'll have replaceable pre-filters and separate charcoal filters, which can be changed when they are "full" so to speak. I use a full face respirator which is closer to $100, but a half-face respirator will work fine.

[Erik Smith]

I think they are NIOSH approved. But, yes, duplicolor (and all paints) are dangerous. One exposure? Not so much. Repeated exposure? Yes. Brain damage, cancer - a list worse than those side effects listed for the drugs on TV.

I don't paint with kids around. I have a booth that vents outside but I can still smell the paint, so it doesn't all go out. My neighbor is a car painter - talk to those guys and you will here plenty of cancer stories.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Erik Smith

[jbwelda]

i personally would advise you not to drink any.

probably dont want to seal up your whole bodys pores with it either, by, for instance, painting yourself gold.

http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/goldfinger.asp

youre welcome.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Is painting with garage door open a good idea?

[martinfan5]

Hobby paints can be just as dangerous as well

[martinfan5]

Is painting with garage door open a good idea?

As long as its well ventilated, the problems, or danger come from being in a closed area, as long as you have fresh air coming in the area, you will be ok, that does not mean you should not take precautions

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Looks like getting a proper respirator is a good idea. Up until now I have been using those cheap ones that don't have a proper filter or anything.

[Kit Basher]

Looks like getting a proper respirator is a good idea. Up until now I have been using those cheap ones that don't have a proper filter or anything.

It is definitely a good idea. It needs to have the charcoal canisters and the paper pre-filters. A paper mask without the canisters would do almost nothing to protect you. Having the garage door open is a good idea. You should not be able to smell paint while painting if the mask fits properly. After you have used it for a while, if you start to smell paint, it is time to replace the filters. They're not terribly expensive and they're not uncomfortable. There's no good reason not to wear one. Consider it the cheapest health insurance you will ever buy.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

It is definitely a good idea. It needs to have the charcoal canisters and the paper pre-filters. A paper mask without the canisters would do almost nothing to protect you. Having the garage door open is a good idea. You should not be able to smell paint while painting if the mask fits properly. After you have used it for a while, if you start to smell paint, it is time to replace the filters. They're not terribly expensive and they're not uncomfortable. There's no good reason not to wear one. Consider it the cheapest health insurance you will ever buy.

Could you suggest any good ones that are not terribly expensive? Maybe with a picture if that's not too much to ask.

[Roadkill2525]

OMG! There's a warning on the can i never saw before!

[Casey]

Could you suggest any good ones that are not terribly expensive? Maybe with a picture if that's not too much to ask.

See post #4.

[Dave Van]

Paint hasn't really changed.....but lawyers and state CYA laws have changed. The precautions we take now should be the same as we always have.

The California labeling law that caused the Tamiya shortage is a example of 'change' in the laws and not the paint or procedures.

[RobRus]

Having worked in a body shop as a painter for about 20 years I can tell you from experience you do not want to inhale paint.

To answer your question from my perspective it all depends what you are spraying.

Lacquers dry very fast so most of the overspray you see in the air is dust. The very least I wear a disposable 3M particle mask such as on this site.

http://3mcollision.com/products/safety/masks-and-respirators/maintenance-free-disposable-masks

Enamels are much different in the overspray stays wet for a lot longer. So what you see in the air is actually wet paint and you do not want that in your lungs. You should wear a rubber charcoal filter mask that makes a good seal on your face. Full face is also an option but they have a tendicy to steam up.

Urethane is another cirtter all in itself. This is very dangerous stuff and you should wear full protection from any contact with it.

This is where you see painters wearing full bio-hazard suits with fresh air being pumped into their mask. Spraying this is like spraying honey.. It will stick to everything including your skin. It should be used with caution and do not spray it in your house or around anyone who is not protected.

I actually quit working in the industry shortly after urethanes were introduced. I figured if I had to wear a bio-hazard suit with pumped in air I wasn't going to risk my health. I always wear the appropiate respirator for the job and I always try to wet sand if I can.

[martinfan5]

I love how it's always California's fault, come on get real.

You didnt hear did you?, the state of California passed a law saying that everything is the states fault and should be blamed for everything

[Mooneyzs]

Count me in as one that is always using a respirator when I spray my models.... well I guess I should be a little more clearer... I personally spray mostly automotive brand paints on my models... PPG and House of Kolor to be exact. But when I rattle can parts I don't typically wear my mask then. But what I will suggest to everyone who wants a respirator with the filter cartridges for spraying paints is to buy one from and Auto Body supply store and not from Home Depot or Lowe's.

You may ask why not to buy the ones at home depot or lowes and the reason is I was speaking with the PPG shop I get my paints from and the one guy I typically deal with for my paints I was asking him and he was telling me that the filter cartridges are not the same. There are different filters for different applications. I think I picked up my respirator for around 25 or 30 bucks from the shop I go to.

[Dave Van]

I love how it's always California's fault, come on get real.

I NEVER said Californias FAULT......But having livied in So Cal for many years....and having many friends that lost their jobs or even lost their businesses because of laws passed in CA.....I just state the facts. My best friend had a business making repro car parts and restoring cars. He ended up having to close the biz because to comply with EVERY law CA passed was going to cost more money than he had made in 10 years. FACT is CA has laws that 49 other states do not feel the need to have....or even the Feds.....

I love how people always jump to conclusions before fully reading a post. come on get real

[hotrod59f100]

I was reading in a truck magazine once. That a guy tried to paint his truck himself and painted it with a Hevy equipment paint . He didn't use a respirator in a closed garage. A few weeks later he was feeling I'll ,went to the doctors and he had full blown lung cance and had 6 months to live .

[Romell R]

I love how it's always California's fault, come on get real.

Its not Californias fault but California has strict laws concerning air because at one time the air quality here was so horrible that it was said that breathing california air was like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Hence the restrictions on all products that can harm the air quality which include traffic emissions. Now the nation is following suite because now the air quality here is 98% better now than when it was in the 1980's

[LAone]

Its not Californias fault but California has strict laws concerning air because at one time the air quality here was so horrible that it was said that breathing california air was like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Hence the restrictions on all products that can harm the air quality which include traffic emissions. Now the nation is following suite because now the air quality here is 98% better now than when it was in the 1980's

dang, well said.

[MikeMc]

Its not Californias fault but California has strict laws concerning air because at one time the air quality here was so horrible that it was said that breathing california air was like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Hence the restrictions on all products that can harm the air quality which include traffic emissions. Now the nation is following suite because now the air quality here is 98% better now than when it was in the 1980's

And the REAL news is... your air is still BAD!!!...Rom, I beg to differ with ya, but the irresponsible people in the 50s, 60s, and 70s,out in sunny CA did do the air in themselves, by no rules there...or anywhere really. And as you know all the pollution spewing into the air out there, trapped by the mountains gets held in. BUT if you look at the labels in the other 49, you might notice you need a "special # if in CA.".......Tell me how tamiya relabeling their paints and thinners made anyones air better...as they say on TV......C'MON MAN !!!!!

[jbwelda]

the fact is, romell is right. and the air most days in the LA basin is way better than pretty much any major metro area on the east coast. it hurts to admit, but its true. it hurts because i hate all that regulation and no doubt about it, if there is something cali has, its regulations. one thing to remember though: its because of corporations taking things to and over the limit to increase profit that caused most of those regulations to be enacted in the first place.

at least we got prop 215.