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Posted By John Taylor
I am presently reviewing spray operations under COSSH can any one point me at some clear advice regarding use of Diisocyanates and health- surveillance
cheers jt
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Posted By Sniffer
I work for the MOD and their policy is to have all personnel whos role involves spraying isocyanate based paints, subjected to an Annual COSHH Medical.
Not sure what more information you actually require?
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter John There is this: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/p46.pdf but it does not say anything about frequency. There is a lot more which is industry-specific so try searching the HSE site for the relevant information. Paul
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Posted By FAH
Hi John
May I suggest that you start off with EH40 to determine any WELs and then look for a relevant MDHS.
Then check the Safety Data Sheets and it may be of interest to have a browse through the "Approved List" [provided your an insomniac and have loads of time].
Then, do the CoSHH RA to determine what you may need to achieve compliance AND adequately protect those exposed.
Frank Hallett
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Posted By clairel
Sniffer, there is no such thing as a COSHH medical. Why does everyone insist on misusing the term COSHH?
Isocyanates (both mono and di)are respiratory sensitisers and require health surveillance.
Spaying of isocyanates is not preferable though and you'd be expected to look for alternatives wherever possible. Where not possible using LEV boothe AND RPE is required (air-fed mask usually) as well as possibly air monitoring and said health monitoring (records, questionnaires & lung function tests where necessary).
Loads of info on the HSE website. There is a specific leaflet on spraying of 2-pack but I don't know if that is what you are using. Controls will pretty much be the same though.
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Posted By John Richards It all starts before you put people near isocyanates. First you have to ascertain whether they will be susceptible to the product. that means pre (or post) employment medicals to find out whether they have a chronic respiratory problem. And it just gets worse....they will also need protective clothing....and not only air-fed masks but full-face air fed masks... You could always go the route of not using the stuff of course... http://www.coatings.org....e%20of%20Isocyanates.pdf
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Posted By Coshh Assessor
Claire, isn't "COSHH medical" a perfectly reasonable term for a medical undertaken as part of health surveillance required under the COSHH regs?
John - have you already seen the HSE guidance on respiratory sensitisers / occupational asthma?
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Posted By Pete Longworth
CA you are quite correct to say that it is perfectly reasonable to use the term COSHH medical, it is after all, only a term. You could also say Health surveillance medical or indeed what ever you want. To say otherwise is just semantics and overly pedantic to say the least.
I work with respiratory sensitisers (subtilisin enzymes)and although not isocyanates you may be able to use similar practices.
Our health surveillance starts with a pre-employment medical that consists of pre-employment questionnaire, lung function tests, audiometry. On employment all employees are subject to 6 monthly skin prick testing for all enzymes that we use and annual lung function tests. Any employee found to be sensitised to an enzyme is immediately placed on an enhanced regime of lung function testing every 3 months.
At this point we request permission to take a blood sample for RAST testing.
A multi-disciplinary investigation is undertaken that looks at work history, COSHH assessments, results of air monitoring, any reported incidents near misses etc, work instructions to try to identify how exposure has occurred.
In addition we conduct a vulnerable person assessment to establish if any task restrictions are appropriate.
From the point of view of controls all enzyme areas are ventilated with LEV with an AFV of 1.0m/s and fitted with H13 HEPA filters at discharge points. All HEPA filters are DOP tested regularly. We conduct thorough inspections 6 monthly rather than 14 monthly.
All employees that need to enter areas such as filling cabinets are required to wear face fitted half face masks with P3 filters or martindale respirators if they have facial hair. All sensitised colleagues are required to wear martindale respirators.
As I say this is for controlling enzyme exposure but I am sure that you can use some of these practices for controlling isocyanates.
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Posted By clairel
Nope I don't think I'm being pedantic.
So many people just bung the term COSHH into anything related to chemicals and it bugs the hell out of me. The worst being the constant referal to COSHH sheets (when they mean safety data sheets). Shows a lack of understanding to me.
By carrying out health surveillance you are not controlling substances hazardous to health you are checking to see whether you controls are adequate.
The type of RPE the last post mentioned is not appropriate for iscoyanates. Got to be air fed acccording to the guidance.
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Posted By Chris Packham
Spraying paints containing isocyanates is not uncommon. Many car body repair shops will do this. COSHH requires health surveilance where this is being done.
The correct technique is biological monitoring, looking for appropriate marker in urine. One of the experts on this is Kate Jones at the Health and Safety Laboratory. In fact, Kate was at a skin seminar in Gateshead run by the BOHS yestereday and spoke on just this topic. Her phone number is 01298 218 435. In my experience you will find her very helpful.
Chris
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Posted By clairel
Iscocyanates are lung sensitisers and so lung function tests are the norm.
Iscocyanates are less commonly used in MVR than they used to be due to the health problems associated with their use. The HSE certainly try to encourage alternatives in that industry and that is the way it is heading.
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Posted By Pete Longworth
I never said that the type of RPE we use was suitable for isocyanates. What I said was that, if you had taken the trouble to look, some of the controls we use may be used to control isocyanates. Things like adequate LEV, regular inspection of LEV, that sort of thing. Also some of our health surveillance arrangements such as regular lung function testing, pre-employment medicals, enhanced health surveillance for those who have become sensitised but not yet symptomatic etc.
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Posted By Dave Adams.
Lung function testing will only indicate when the precautions you have taken have failed and the person is affected. Whereas biological monitoring indicates the presence of isocyanate metabolites in the urine i.e. whether it has been inhaled, absorbed via the skin or ingested. Hopefully biological monitoring will indicate before a medical issue is evident.
We manufacture coatings products using isocyanates. We are in the process of carrying out atmospheric monitoring, biological monitoring (urine sampling) and ascertaining the effectiveness of the gloves used using sensitive pads. We also insist that users of isocyanates perform rudimentary lung function tests three times a day as well as formal spirometry every 6 months.
If you insist on using hazardous materials, you have to take appropriate measures.
Good luck!!
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