"Glove UP"

[Patch]

Thought I'd mention this often overlooked safety tip I heard while listing to a troubleshooting lecture/seminar.

 

"Glove UP" the speaker said then paused and explained that he wasn't a smoker drinker.... but had to have a Liver transplant!

 

A mechanic by trade he explained that his Liver was destroyed by the chems he had absorbed thru his hands. Chems like brake, carb cleaner and of course parts washer and oils...

 

Myself I have had COPD most of my life and of course also a smoker but I have always been a filter guy; I ware masks at for, sweep shop or site floors, cutting materials... Have all kind of hepa stuff in many different sizes.

 

Some time back I think it was 2011 I began feeling a strange sensation, best described as my tongue felt like a foreign object, loss of tasted and seemed always dry. Turned out that I had what many of us get past 40 "a lazy Liver". Now at that time I had not had say more then one beer in a dozen years so not drinking related, rather it was my hobby and the chems I was using that likely brought my toxin levels up.

 

Anyways thought I'd share this and perhaps us old timers might conciser adding "glove up" to suggestions of harsh chems..

 

One oil I can't get near since as far back as I can remember,,, used gear oils, make my skin crawl and cut my breathing..

[Marcarl]

Very good point, I'll take it to heart.

[PastorCurt]

Amen to that and might I add that common homeowner herbicides are a reason to glove up and use the proper PPE. Roundup herbicide affects me, probably from too many years of farm use and a "How can this stuff hurt me mentality?"

[gmarshall]

I would also add to our Shooters, lead from shooting and reloading can get in your system. A blood test for lead will tell you if you have a problem.

[slowrollwv]

I have used Toluene and Acetone for years where I worked. Used gloves most of the time but not all. Worked the foam room a few of those years and the drums stated on them that fumes can cause the big C. They use a different foam now but the people in there still use a mask and gloves.

[Patch]

Yes Brother that Toluene is nasty chit! We soak it like a sponge. Feel the vapors across the forearm hairs just passing by the evap.

[rbig1]

I was around alot of older mechanic. I came in as a young punk. Most of them had skin damage. Started out with gassers then went total diesel then soy diesel. I could feal that stuff climb my arms by just dipping my fingers in it. learned gloves are good. Worked around roundup and all them chems also. no way could you keep the waist oil off ya. Just hoping it dont kill me early.