What the hell happened?
 

Yesterday , I sprayed a chassis in a booth wearing a mask ,

I was using POR 15, I sprayed it all , went well

a couple of hours later , I was shaking like crazy , wearing 2 shirts a hoodie and a jacket, I was still freazing ,went home just lied on the floor woke up 3 hours later dripping in sweat, went to bed tossed and turned all night

woke up feeling hung over and I have a funny tate in my mouth

what the hell happened, it was like an instant severe flu hit , what can I do today to feel better , what else can I do to prevent this in the future?

i dont know but that scares the crap out of me

if i were in your shoes i would see a doctor or call poison control or something

yep... I would go see a docter, paint related or not. Take care of yourself

you can't use a regular breathing mask for shooting POR15-has isocarbonates or something like that that a regular filter mask can't filter.

if you haven't talked to a doctor yet, I would make it a priority. bring in a can of the paint so the doctor will know what's in your system.

I searched the POR-15 website, they really don't give much info. the only knowledge I have is from guys on THIS board. here is what I found at http://www.por15store.com/dosdonts.html

"Do use an organic vapor particulate respirator, NIOSH/MSHA approved when spraying POR-15. If you are spraying in an enclosed area, you must use an air-supplied respirator"

"must" isin italics and bold on their website. does their disclaimer indicate if you're shooting in the driveway for example, you could wear an organic vapor respirator and achieve adequate protection?

Definately go see a doctor. For any one else i would suggest shooting this stuff outside. I shot my frame outside with masks on and my friend and i both felt sick to our stomachs thats night...On the up side the frames turn out great!

Frame looks good, Me not so much

its like the flu hit me times 1000 last night

after have a shower for an hour I feel better/
I would sometimes feel like this after spraying foam insuation or bedliners, I havent touched either in a year or so, I have a feeling its directly related to isocyanites

if it persists Ill be on my way to the docs

after some reasearch I have concluded I have this

hypersensitivity pneumonitis

No more Iso's for me, seems a have become sensitized to them after spraying liners and such

Good news is , Ill be allright I just havfta ride it out!

I have also had the same feeling just not a severe. The first time it bothered me was using a roll in bed line in tthe floor of my cab I could hardly finish the job I was so dizzy. I Use to be able to clean my spray gun and the laquer thinners would not bother me. Not after 2 minutes I feel dizzy and start having a hard tiem focousing. I never thought to wear a mask when using thinners buit now I have a sensitivity.

Sound like Zinc poisoining. Same symptoms I had. Froze to death for 2 hours then sweated like h&ll. Get well. Later, Mark

Those are the STUPIDEST words Ive ever heard on any site!!
Go to the doctor get yourself checked out!!!

I happen to know someone that their life has completely changed because of dangerous chemical/fumes. You happen to know what its like to be 25 yrs old and learn that you MIGHT be lucky to make to 40? Dont be pigheaded like me

hey eric post that link to the mask stuff on the chevelle forum, scares me everytime i read it

For sure, POR-15 has iso-cyanates. YOU MUST WEAR SUPPLIED-AIR when spraying them to avoid them. Nothing filters them out. They can cause long term damage. It just isn't worth it take a chance. If you were applying with a brush in good ventilation you might get away with a mask, but why take a chance? Your health is far to valuable. You young guys are bullet-proof, I know, but you do want to get old, don't you? Sorry for the rant. Safety is drilled into me at work and I can't see doing anything differant at home. Hope you feel better soon.

I have to tell you, the thought of it makes me shutter. It is absolutely freightening to think of being exposed to so as much of this stuff to make that happen. Either that mask was not fitting properly or something, I am not kidding, I would RUN to the doctor and figure this out.'

I have painted for 30 years, a lot of it years ago am embarassed to say with too little protection. Yet I have never had anything of the sort happen to me. You had to get one heck of a large dose.

Brian

I am feeling MUCH better tonight , from my reasearch , I have comluded that I became way over exposed when I sprayed bedliners and foam insullation on traveltrailers, the company I worked for didnt give a **** about me , I ran the buisness, they refused to get me a helper, I was working 18-19 hours aday for 12 dollars an hour, they always promised if I did this then we could........

anyway, they saftey equipment was marginal, I tried my best but they would never upgrade it for me, I ended up putting out of my own pocket for a bunch of stuff, they did have a fresh air setup they bought used and worked very poorly, Yea, I wo0rked myt ass off as they promised me the big dollars when I got the company out of debt ( which I came damn close to doing) which never paid off as the owner was stealing the money from my shop to pay the bills at his other larger business, which folded and took mine down with it ( a blessing in disguise)

anyway it seems I became sensitized to iso's and this is my bodys way of saying stay the hell away , it has scared the hell out of me.

I am quite pissed off now at my privious boss, I know this has cost me , if I were to have an attack like this again there is a chance my lungs will swell and I would die .

IM only 21 , and to have had this experience not as severe in the past, at the liner shop, and now ,is a real eye open , I should have been more carful .
I will preach the ways of propper breathing apperatus,

Life is too short I know this at the age of 10 I watched my father pass away due to cancer, I will do everything I can to prevent this from everhappening should I ever have a family of my own.

I consider my self lucky today
Id like this to be an eye open for the rest of you, work safe and work smart, the risk isnt worth anything.
Matt Davies

Matt, I have a good friend who became iso sensitive. I suggest you do what he did, QUIT painting, FOREVER. I hightly recommend it, QUIT. In his case (about 20 years ago), he earned his living supporting his wife and three little girls. But seeing those three little girls grow up was more important than how many toys they had so he took a lower paying job as a parts man. He has since managed parts departments in dealerships. He still delivers parts to where I work and he has watched two of his girls marry, and have his grand kids. The last girl is still working on her masters.

Life is WAY too short guy, at 21, hell, there is nothing stopping you. DON'T SPRAY ANOTHER THING!

You don't have to leave cars behind, make photography your passion. Take up chess, become a sports fan, SOMETHING, ANYTHING but spraying paint.

Brian

MARTINSR

since I quit the liner shop I rarely spray anything

I dont plan on leaveing automotives as its my life and passion, I have however taken up metal working and welding in a big big way , and I wear a mask in the shop too.

I plan to further my metal fab skill and maybe make somthing out of it, eventually, to earn a dollar I am seriosusly considering heavy duty mechanics.

right now Im the yard guy for a classic chevy truck parts shop www.scottssupertrucks.com

its a pretty cool gig.

I will however say that it'll be a cold day in hell when you guys pry my mack 00 and 1 shot out of my hand!

Slammed I hope you get 100% better. I've read this and now I'm looking into safety equipment. I'm only 22 and I want to be around to enjoy my truck.

Get well,
Mike

I bought a used fresh air system even though I only hobby paint but boy I am glad I did. I loan it to my buddy as he does this like I do. It can be a bit of a pain dragging the hose and stuff around but I found I can really concentrate much better not breathing the fumes and not worring about not breathing as much during the painting I can just breath deep and normal. You might look into one used? Anybody for that matter...I too had read what Eric had posted a year or 2 ago and decided it wasnt for me (the sickness part)
good luck!
Dave

Slammed66, welding can be JUST as dangerous as painting!! Thats how i got the problems I got. I overexposued myself to welding fumes at the age of 18-19, spent 2 days in the hositpal. Finally at the age of 25 I found out that I have a rare form of emphysema.

This rare form basically attacks your own body!!! My lungs have become so sensitived that the white blood cells are eating away at my lung tissue, my body is self destructing.

Am now at the age of 27 and my lungs function at the low 40 percent range. That equals out to a male in his 70's that was a smoker for 50 years.
Each morning I take two different inhalers to help open up my lungs, allow them to breathe easier.
Each week I do self infusions or shots of a lung steriod

Not sure I should post this pic since am sure there are a few perv's out there. But this thing was inserted into my chest, its basically a quick coupler for the needles. Instead of inserting a needle into your hand you just insert into this thing.
Picture a plastic bottle lid sticking out of your chest REALLY!! :metal:

Trust me do NOT be a dumbarse when it comes to your own personal safety.
I could go on and on how it has affected me but Ill spare ya...Eric

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Picture 008.jpg

thats enough to make me not want to go to work tomorrow

Man, thats sick :S

Glad I always wear my organic respirator for even grinding rust...

I got mild zinc oxide once, and since then, I've been anal about having my resipirator on... I am trying to convince my father's company to sell me one of their used air tank masks, but I have not had much luck yet.

Man Eric, that should make a guy change his ways! Thanks for thinking so much of us to post it.

Brian

http://www.v8buick.com/images/smilies/jawdrop.gif

Eric: Thanks for posting that pic.

I had a very good friend that damn near died from overexposure, he thought he didn't need a good resperator. Ha, WRONG!

Maybe now some of the guys that don't believe that this can happen to them will pay attention.

Just my .02

:gmc:CCDually

Would anyone be so kind to post a thread on here about proper resporators, I am wanting to know what I should buy for when I am welding and grinding, basicly when im in the shop, I wear glasses if that makes a difference if some one would do a break down and what you need for what application, I would GREATLY appreciate it

Eric man , wow , I really appreicaite you posting that it realy drives home the point. Life is Just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayy to short ,

Take Care . Matt

I use a 3M disposable mask part number 7187. But don't take my word for it, let Eric post the particulars. THIS IS NOT A DUST MASK! It costs about $20.00. The ONLY reason I use the disposable one is that it fits under my welding helmet.

But I have to tell you, there is MORE to this than sticking a respirator on your face. First off, be sure it fits you well. Be sure you have NO FACIAL HAIR that could effect the seal. I have a small mustache that fits FULLY under the mask. If you can see any hair coming out from under your mask you are NOT getting a good seal and might as well not even be wearing it.


More cautions:

Wear a welding helmet when using the MIG. Don't let some fool tell you a pair of glasses is good enough. I work with a number of idiots who weld with sun glasses!!!!! Wear a WELDING HELMET with a number 10 shade at the very least. Check with the welding supply for the proper shade for you.

For sanding DO NOT use those old single strap dust masks, use the newer twin strap 07048 and 07185.

Get a number of pairs of ear muffs like 3M 07063. At the very least use the foam plugs in your ears. I personally have a number of pairs of the big ear muffs, they are very easy to put on even with gloves on. If you have to stop to remove gloves or tear open a little bag to put the foam ones on you will find yourself "cheating" for little jobs, this is a killer. All those little jobs add up! If you have a few pairs (or just one of course if that is all you need) you are less temped to do that "little job" without it. Wear these ear muffs when useing ANY air tool or blower! The high frequency sound of the air is very damaging to your upper end hearing. Huh? What was that? Yep, at 46 I have lost a lot of that hearing. And I started wearing ear muffs religously 20 years ago. I still have some pretty serious hearing loss. Believe me, when my wife wakes me up in the middle of the night and asks "What is that sound"? and I don't hear a thing, it isn't nice.

Get a number of pairs of goggles. At the very least the cheapie ones that are only a buck or two. If you have a number of pairs, aw, you know.

Don't ever, EVER think "I don't need my ear muffs, respirator, goggles it is only a small job". If you hear your self saying that, YOU KNOW YOU ARE WRONG. The next time any of you guys are doing a job and that thought goes thru your head, think of Eric, hear him saying YOU KNOW YOU ARE WRONG!

Eric, I hope you don't mind, I have printed out that photo along with your story and I will be showing it to the crew at work in todays production meeting. I then will post it by the time clock. Your words and that photo speak a thousand volumes more than my *****ing.

I would take a friggin ax to my car if I knew it could bring back my hearing and any other damage I have done to my body. Eric I'll bet would take an ax to a parking lot of cars down at Walmart and take the resposiblity with the law to boot if his health was returned to the way it was.

There is no paint job, weld, bondo job, car, truck or plane worth damaging your body over.

Brian

At one shop that I worked at they, had a guy come around with a test hood that you put over your head with your respirator. then they sprayed some stuff that was supposed to smell like citrus.

If you smelled anything ,your mask or mask fit was not acceptible.
I use a Binks charcoal respirator with new charcoal filters and those waffled prefilters. I have used this particular style for years. I do have a serious 'stash, so fit is an issue with mine

I get a new one every couple of months and change the pre filters every couple of days and the charcoal ones every other week or so depending on how much painting I am doing.

Mask is kept in an air tight ziplock when not in use.

I wish I had this advise when I was younger.

My lungs are fine but my hearing is shot. can't hear small high pitched sounds and hearing someone talking to me in a room full of people with normal conversation sounds is impossible!

I do wear earmuffs now, (Too soon old,too late smart!!!)

I want to be able to hear my grandchildren :gi:

Just my .02

:gmc:CCDually

guys I hope you don't mind that I made this a sticky.. I think everyone should read this, we all get lax and if this can make someone think twice....

hey eric, since its a stickey can you link the teamchevelle thread about respirators to this one??? i read that a year and a half ago and i am anal about masks and protection since.

I posted this on a couple forums... Good to hear you are OK now, and wow, I am going to think twice about painting stuff in the garage. To think, not too long ago I cleared a whole car in a garage with the older IMRON clear (stuff that is now off the market), and I can't say we had good ventilation. I had a pretty good mask on, but still...

DO IT!!!

Should be required reading.

Just my .02

:gmc:CCDually

Don't forget skin protection solvent gloves and spray suits. Your skin will absorbs the solvent in the air when you are spraying. I used to work with this old man when ever he would get a cut he would pour lacquer thinner on it. He said it helps it heal :confused:

I used to work at a lawnmower/small engine repair show last summer. I used ALOT of varsol and other powerfull parts cleaning agents, and carb boils and didn't think anything of it and got it on my hands. Within in two months I have become sesitive to the point that if someone takes a rag and soaks it in varsol, lets it dry out for couple days, and I pick it up, my hands will brake out in a rash and it will itch like crazy. I have been using the blue nitril(SP?) gloves that you can get in a box from Harbor Frieght, and I know Summit carries them as well. Now I use thoes gloves, and a long sleeve shirt when ever I do anything so I get as little grease or anything else on me as posible. You can never have to much safety stuff on. Thanks for all the warnings, I will start wearing eye, ear protection and a reperator all the time now.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show...friggin+health

When I get more time Ill post up some 3M part numbers for the masks that I wear that were suggested to me from the National 3M safety rep

When I was in the Navy I did a lot of painting inside of ships with out any type of masks. Several time I felt like I was 2000 feet in the air, now suffering minor problems from it. When I paint now I use my sons air system. We all seem to learn the hard way.


Art

Here's a question for you, I bought a pretty good mask for use when painting, I don't smell anything when I'm wearing it.

If you don't smell anything are you safe?

Ron

It is often the chemicals that you DO NOT smell that do the most damage. For instance, Isocyanates and vaporized poisons like cyanide are relatively odorless.

Short of using a properly set up and fitted fresh air system, 3-M makes the next best thing. For priming and painting BC/CC, I wear the full face mask w/ the apropriate filter and pre filter. IT IS GREAT!!!!!

I will post my actual part numbers at a later time.

Here is what I use:

mask 3M 6900/07140
filter 3M 6001
pre-filter 3M 5N11

Needed to buy the pre-filter holder in addition to the filters.

When I am not using the mask, I keep EVERYTHING double bagged in zip-lock bags seperately (each filter in its own double bag) and store it all inside the house. I have found that the filters last much longer when stored apart from each other.

I believe that the whole set-up w/ extra filters & pre-filters was less than $200.00.

I used to work on a military base spraying (carc) Chemical Agent Resistance Coating and we had fresh air for big paints and 3m resperator for small touch ups. For those who don't know the old carc paint used to be leaded heavily for durability and it could kill you if you were exposed to to much of it. Now they have gotten away from the lead but the paint is still toxic. We have been shut down by OSHA once because our booth wasn't up to standards. Point is USE RESPERATON don't let your hobby or job shorten your life.

The air supplied masks work great. I've been painting for a little over a year now and at times paints have gotten to me. I'll paint a car with a respirator on and the next day I have a horrible head ache that won't go away no matter what I take. Safety is a major issue that I think a lot of people neglect, even people I work and go to school with. We are required to wear our respirators any time we're in contact with potentially hazardous materials or in the spray booths. Just always think about your safety.

Great thread!! We need to pass this one around!