Please, if you know anyone who refinishes bathtubs, make sure they are VERY AWARE of the dangers and the different situations. If you are referring to paint strippers (which is what methylene Chloride is used for) one consideration would be using alternative methods, such as sanding. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. If youve got an old bathtub(or bathroom) and youre investigating your options for giving it an upgrade, youve likely come across the term reglazingalso known as refinishing or recoating, which can revive a tiredtub or evenold bathroom tile. But if we ever have it done again, I will definitely check to be sure its a safe process for the workers AND the homeowners. Consult the OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert for specific information regarding engineering controls, exposure levels and air monitoring, personal protective equipment, worker training and medical surveillance. If youre nervous, leaving your apartment for the duration of the job is always an option. I like taking baths, but will not do so in this tub now knowing how unhealthy it actually is. The use of methylene chloride killed many people in the industry. Our research focused on worker exposures from methylene chloride during the process of stripping the old paint off of the tub prior to refinishing. I think our tub would look so much nicer if we had it refinished. Ron, Thanks for the post on this. We can avoid being harmed if we will be knowledgeable about things. They were wearing some gas mask type stuff while they were doing it, but I have noticed even after spraying the fumes were strong; and I was outside when they did this. "My glazing lasted three weeks before it began to peel from a tiny spot in the center of the tub," she says. My friend was in the bathroom for only 4 minutes until his co workers had discovered him lying head first into the bathtub, still wearing proper mask and gloves both of which in good condition. You may want to contact Product Safety Australia http://www.productsafety.gov.au, who assists with consumer concerns like the one you posted. I think there should be more regulation on access to such chemicals and certainly there should be stringent training laws in place when it comes to using such chemicals. And Bathtub Aliphatic Acrylic Urethane MSDS. Follow the links to the Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) that the search will find. If the job is not done right it starts to peel, he says. Leave the room immediately after applying the methylene chloride-based stripping agent to limit exposure to methylene chloride vapors. Why? We cannot provide individual medical advice on the NIOSH Science Blog, but we suggest that you see a doctor. Another interest in re-glazing is being fueled by informed masses who have shown a continued interest in "greening" their homes, particularly in making them more . I found out the hard way. It's also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. Delivered to your inbox twice weekly - for free. Bathtub refinishing is very risky. We can ask questions and be well-informed. I would concenr it to home owners wanting to get bathtub resurfacing done. (Fun fact: You can make it any color you want, so if youve ever wanted a purple bathtub, that dream can be realized.). 22 oz. And that tub refinishing is at top of my list besides them running heat too much. Thank you. This is in Australia. With just a day or two of work, reglazing the centerpiece of your bathroom with a durable coating and color is an easy way to give your tub a quick facelift without breaking the bank. I had a tub refinished with epoxy that had a bad smell, but nothing like this. Brooklyn resident Emily Gilbert had her familys tub and part of the bathroom wall reglazed four-and-a-half years ago (, Moving to NYC after college? The company who gave me 6 year warranty has disconnected the phone number. She her nextwalked over to-door neighbor's apartment, where a team weari ng respirators was refinishi ng the bathroom with a spray-on resurfacing material and a chemical accelerator. Real time instruments such as Photoionization detectors (PIDs) can be used to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I say this because his co workers where in the other bathroom working. Takes longer and cost more but the client can pay the labor or feel free to do it themselves. I would also like to issue one other caveat. Sometimes, you may need to refinish your bathtub which requires chemical coating with special kind of brush or roller to an acrylic, porcelain, fiberglass, or cultured marble bathtub. They agreed to resurface it for me as they would not replace it. Are Bathtub Refinishing Fumes Dangerous? But the air looked pretty fume filled to me This is a nightmare for someone with my health issues! theyre dangerous if not dealt with properly. What are the governing bodies that oversee these applications? It seemed like this article focused more on the concerns of MC and not ISO is there a follow up article that is just based on Isocyantes? I could not believe how hard it was to even find a kit to purchase, which led me to wonder why. Most tubs can be reglazed if they are not overly damaged, but the process is generally recommended for steel, cast iron, or fiberglass tubs. According to OSHA, you must also provide local exhaust ventilation and make-up air to replace the vapors removed by the exhaust. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Please respond quickly. We are in a rental and I had to stop allowing my daughter to take baths because its everywhere. Keep in mind that alternative products and other stripping agents may pose additional risks. AND DURING CLEANING. I stayed home all day, working around the house because there were two workers and didnt want to leave strangers in my home. Thank you so much! CDR Hall is the Deputy Branch Chief of the Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. Here's how to do it, How buying real estate in NYC is unlike anywhere else, A guide to using a no-fee renovation loan from a NYC real estate firm, How to make your NYC renovation more pet-friendly, From Boerum Hill to Prospect Lefferts Gardens: After years of renting, we wanted to buy a condo with amenities, What to know about buying in Briarwood, Queens, where you may score a house with a driveway and garage. Instead, many homeowners have the existing tub reglazed or refinished, which typically costs $300-$600, depending on the area and process. Thorough prep and and cleaning can preventbig headaches down the road. I am not an overly caution person, but I understand that in certain instances it is important to exercise caution. The toxins became so concentrated in a short period of time due to lack if ventilation and confined space. I think there are actually regulations on workers on how long they may be subjected to this chemical during a work day. Perfect for renters, apartment dwellers, and residential or commercial tubs, sinks, showers. So, it presents no long-term hazard to the resident. But if we get together as a group of experienced bathtub refinishers I am positive that we can come up with a simple solution that will keep us safe. This is horrible People please do not use these DIY kits. Thank you for sharing this useful information. After most fumes and smell went away two days later i still had muscle pain and spasms all over, headache, very sick and weak, skin burned and stung, could feel it in my lungs. Almost any color or appearance can be achieved, including the look of natural stone or marble. Myths About Bathtub Refinishing | Specialized Refinishing Co. ive found a majority of the time the diy kits people use never adhere well. How to get your plans past the board, 3 NYC apartment bathroom renovation veterans on what they learned from the process, How to read a NYC co-op or condo buildings financial statement. But because were low income, we also do not get the luxury of telling management or housingno. This may sound extreme, but I assure you, neglect to safety is not worth the life of a co worker, family member, or in my case a best friend. (before we had kids). NIOSH work in this area only pertains to workers exposed when using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. And I havent been able to use mine in years to due mobility being so compromised. The Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) program at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has profiled two businesses that successfully strip bathtubs without MC. There is apparently limited research on this issue, but there are case studies of some children getting lead poisoning from bathing in an old bathtub that was leaching lead. Then, remove any cover plates, drain plugs and bathtub spouts. share Share. We would appreciate your assistance in circulating the information in this blog and the Hazard Alert to those involved in bathtub refinishing. I attempt to lead a very clean life and avoid many commercial products (body care products, cleaning products, sprays etc). Bathtub Reglazing Safety Tips: How to Protect Yourself - TopKote Overwhelming toxic fumes from renovations on a neighbor's apartment You may want to ask the installer for the products safety data sheet which may have useful information on curing times and precautions. This Northern California real estate agent is living the green Dream. Are these chemicals only toxic while being applied, or can they still be harmful later as used? The product they used is from Napco and is supposed to a lot less toxic than other products. I regret it so much now and want the tub out of the house. When the door is closed for a while it gets very strong and when its open one can hardly smell it but that does not mean it is not there. Good to see so much effort going into bringing awareness to bathtub refinishing in Waltham. Thanks for sharing such a helpful article about bathtub refinishing. This post is so informative and makes a very nice image on the topic in my mind. Hovering over a bathtub, unprotected, while stripping it would overtake anyone in a very short amount of time. Tub Cast Ekopel 2K Bathtub Refinishing Kit - Made In The USA - Odorless If the chemical you are using is marked as flammable then you can be sure that it is not 100% MC. However, we have shared the findings of this work and made recommendations to manufacturers and with agencies that may have regulatory/legal authority, including those with oversight beyond the workplace. I am unknown form this . The Centers for Disease Control has more information on lead hazards on their web site. Reglazing involves stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub. I think this should not be happening after 4 weeks but dont know what to do about it. So how and why are these places allowed to keep doing that tub refinishing if its so dangerous?? He did it 6 years ago when we moved in. We sure take a lot things for granted. Its a multi-step process that involves cleaning the tub thoroughly and sanding it to remove any soap scum or other particles, and repairing cracks or worn areasall of these imperfections will affect the quality and durability of the final finishing coat. Lowering exposures, even below the PEL, is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. Workers often spray or pour a bathtub stripping product into the basin of the bathtub and then brush the product onto the tub surface. ECO-FRIENDLY No Odor Tub Reglazing: Fumes-free and made without harmful chemicals, Ekopel's long-lasting, oil-free glaze never peels! Alternatively, you can search on Methylene Chloride and Safety Data Sheet for a listing of various SDSs for similar products. Methylene chloride is extremely dangerous when not used properly, this is an understatement, but Im glad its finally being brought to peoples attention. The fact of the matter is that using a professional that is trained and well-versed in the safety measures of bathtub refinishing; is critical, and can not only protect the owners of the property, but those performing the job! "[The problem area] now takes up about a third of the bottom of the tub, because every time the water runs, more comes off," she says. Provide local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and fresh makeup air to exhaust vapors released from the stripping agents in the bathtub. The standard also sets a 12.5 ppm action level (AL) which triggers periodic monitoring and medical surveillance provisions. Dust masks do not protect you from bathtub refinishing vapors. We have absolutely no ventilation in our apartment. The fumes were so strong that it gave me a headache and caused me to become nauseated. I gave my 2 year old a bath a little more came off. I personally have never heard of this being such a serious problem. NYC Renovation Chronicles: 5 ways to save on your bathroom renovation, Renovating a co-op? (Obviously, no, but you get the idea.). The concentration of the exposure is important too. It is the first time I visit your blog, but I was extremely impressed. Earlier this week NIOSH and OSHA released a joint Hazard Alert titled Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers. The whole job will take around 5 hours after which you will have a reglazed bathtub. I have been refinishing tubs for 23 years. Thanks! Some healthcare providers specialize in assessing environmental exposures (see http://www.aoec.org/index.htm). Find them at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Pubs/#General What a Useful Post and great shared to Plumbing Service, Thanks author your Awesome tropic and Excellent Content. Half-mask respirators may NOT be used because methylene chloride may cause eye irritation or damage. I learned a lot and want to ask a question about the dangers. Finding a Miracle Method office. I will always do the research beforehand going forward. Is there any danger that the enamel could have absorbed the refinishing chemicals to be released into my bath water at this later date? In Europe, the use of paint strippers containing more than 0.1 % methylene chloride is allowed only in industrial installations with adequate controls to reduce exposure. I use it in good ventilation and, if Im going to be doing much work, I use a respirator. Lowering exposures, even below the permissible exposure limit (PEL), is considered to be good industrial hygiene practice. Ask Sam: Will the U.S. Supreme Court end rent stabilization? Products containing methylene chloride should be avoided when possible. Material data sheets, now referred to as Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are prepared by those who sell chemical products. Step 1: Remove Tub Hardware Shut off the water supply to your tub and drain any water from the line before you begin. Refinishing a tub consists of applying a new chemical coating with a special brush or roller to an acrylic, porcelain, fiberglass, or cultured marble bathtub without removing the old layer first. He wore proper equipment, however ventilation was not adequate. Is that legal? All comments posted become a part of the public domain, and users are responsible for their comments. Together we can make the nightmare of stripping bathtubs a thing of the past! I am thankful to those who began to get the word out to the general public, you have certainly saved lives by doing so. As a research agency, we do not have regulatory authority over the labeling or regulating on how methylene chloride is sold. Bathtub Refinishing Fumes - How To Protect Yourself - EzineArticles Agree with your perspective. The first one was a very long process because there was no air circulation what so ever si the two part paint kit kept separating from one another which kept me in the room with only my Tshirt pulled over my nose. I hope many people will now be thinking at least thrice before making use of such chemicals. Thank for sharing about bathtub refinishing. NIOSH research and prevention efforts focus on worker risk, so we are not able to address this kind of exposure. I went to clean out the tub to take another shower myself and by just barely cleaning it a whole bunch of paint came off, like over a foot and I was just barely scrubbing! Whenever respirators are required to be worn, the employer must establish and implement a complete respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of OSHAs Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134), including proper selection, usage, training and medical surveillance (OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert: Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers, February 2013, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2013-110 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-110/ ). Its good to know that if you have your bathtub reglazed, you much have proper ventilation. tl;dr: Accidentally fell in the bathtub so hard it left a hole. Bathtub refinishing is the process of restoring the surface of an old bathtub to improve the bathtub's appearance and repair surface damage. He was formally pronounced brain dead at the hospital, the same day of the incident. If methylene chloride is used, ensure that the room is adequately ventilated during the entire refinishing process. For consumer-related questions after the tub has been refurbished, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Our apartment building had the next apt tub realized these morons did this in winter and there was no windows open. Without a thorough investigation of the respirator, process used, and procedures it would be hard to identify the source of this adverse effect. Contractors who handle bathtub refinishing or reglazing are well-versed in the health risks and OSHA (the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Association) guidelines for risky jobs like these, making it an easy choice to bring in an expert for the task. I am a first time user of the refinishing kit. There are a few scratches and black marks from a previously installed shower door that was installed on the tub. What that means is that at room temperature, methylene chloride will evaporate very rapidly, much more rapidly than water. Are Bathtub Refinishing Fumes Dangerous? The fumes are stronger fumes so we do not allow anyone to be in the apartment for 8 hours. Provided your surface was prepped correctly, you can expect your reglazed tub and/or tile to be good for about seven to 10 years, and the more you take care of it, the longer it will last. If the room where it was used is flushed with fresh air, perhaps by using a small fan, it is unlikely that any methylene chloride will be present or continue to leech out days after the re-glazing was done. Very good to know, Ill let the pros do it from now on, and let my readers know the same! If you have a tub that has seen better days, but you dont want to remove and replace it completely, then you may need to have it reglazed or refinished to restore it to its original state. As owner of a tub refinishing company we have moved away from polyurethane isocyanate systems years ago because of the hazards but, for educational purposes, we provide a dedicated page with links to various articles on our website explaining the dangers of isocyanate coating use in residential markets. We work a lot with paints and try to stay abreast of the dangers when working with chemicals, solvents and paint compounds. The home I purchased a few years ago came with cast iron bathtub and ceramic tile walls that had been covered with a 2-step epoxy finish. That is a shocking statistic, At least 14 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. Hover Image to Zoom. We are sorry to hear about the symptoms that you experienced and hope you are doing better. The use of methylene chloride can be reduced significantly by professionals. Thank you for the great information. The two maintenance men pulled the man off of the tub. I refer to this CDC article a few times a month when answering questions from customers. I took a shower and a 3 inch or so came off. Pay $64.00 after $25 OFF your total qualifying purchase upon opening a new card. I wish I had read this blog before the procedure. Methylene chloride cannot be smelled until the level in the air is higher than OSHAs permissible exposure limits (PELs). Also you should understand between difference between Refinishing (without removing the old layer first) and Reglazing (stripping off the previous coating and sanding down the tub) a Bathtub. Tub and tile were original to the 1957 home and were actually not in bad shape. We were told when we did it that it only lasts about five years and I'm finding that to betrue, she says. The bath was not stripped just resurfaced with a very thin layer of the napco product paint. Exposure to methylene chloride can be lethal. on the dangers of isocyanates in coatings and application hazards. Id thought of using a refinishing kit, but after reading this, I guess Ill just live with the chip. thank you so much. Which brand names or compounds should consumers ask for? More needs to be done to protect the workers!. We are not familiar with the finishes you mention. It can and will save your life. Any other surfaces in the vicinity of the tub should be covered in protective paper and drop cloths, and you should wait a day or two to remove everything and use your bathroom and tub. We should all gather together and come up with solutions that are even better than what we are presented with now. As a result, most tenants moved. My business is in the UK, safety of workers is as important over here. Winter renters lose leverage, questions for condo and co-op buyers, & more, The allure of tax abatements, a Chelsea affordable housing lottery, & more, Co-ops may have some 'splaining to do, renting a penthouse, & more. This post was helpful to me too. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Bathtub refinishing is being used more by hotels, apartment complexes and homeowners because of a housing downturn, a mortgage-meltdown, and overall depressed and depressing economy as a way to save money in their bathroom renovation. And again, dont be afraid to ask. No one deserves to go through this heartache of losing a friend, due to a situation that could have easily been avoided. You should always wear protective clothing and use the appropriate safety-rated equipment whenever you are doing any household repair or remodeling work, and reglazing a bathtub is no exception. Its either not portable or cost prohibitive. Wearing a dust mask should not be confused with fitting a respirator with organic cartridges. And if we can afford it, let the pros do their jobs. I already have cancer, my throat was raw and I had a headache. My cat was crying and jumping on the door to get out. We had maintenance workers come by and resurface it earlier this week, but they did not properly ventilate the chemical smell and the stench is still there. I remember my grandfather saying something about antifreeze having that safety precaution I believe. The odor is still very strong and I am wondering how long it will take before I can go back in that room? If the room where it was used is flushed with fresh air, perhaps by using a small fan, it is unlikely that any methylene chloride will be present or continue to leech out days after the re-glazing was done. She refinished furniture in our garage. The use of a respirator scrubber mask (gas mask) isnt complete protection. Your email address will not be published. Im positing now with the hope it may influence one decision. My tub didnt look.bad at all except for being dusty from disuse.maybe they cant tell the difference. So, if the concentration were over the PEL, for example at 50 ppm, the workers would exceed the 25 ppm average limit in 4 hours. Thank you for this post. Acid is then applied to deglaze the tub and/or tile, followed by a bonding agent or primer, and finally, a urethane topcoat is applied. Its better not to use methylene chloride for the safety of everybody. Now its already peeling. We have for years been trying to come up with a Stripper that will remove Epoxy DIY kits that do not have the Methylene Chloride but time is an issue. 9 Easy Steps to Refinish Your Bathtub | Lowe's Sometimes, it's less expensive to replace a tub than to get it refinished, especially if it's a rare type of tub made of an unusual material. Contact me via e-mail njtragroup@gmail.com and send me your ideas.