CA glue - adverse effects / liability issue?

[Jon Page]

I'd rather repin than all this work / hazard.

Jon Page

At 07:55 AM 5/9/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Thomas Carpenter writes;
>
><<I`m thinking of trying the CA application. 
>....if applying 1/2 to 1 oz. won`t the odor by overwhelming?
>....How long will it linger?  
>....Will it be unsafe to inhale for a time?>>
>
>
>I have a lot of experience with, and interest in,  the above questions.
>
>Experience A 
>---- I treated a grand with CA glue, tapped the pins, pitch raised, tuned, 
>was there for 4 hours. Twelve hours later I easily could have gone to the 
>hospital, but I thought I had just gotten a severe case of the Flu. My eyes 
>were tearing, my nose was running, I was uncontrollably coughing, my lungs 
>were burning, and I had trouble breathing. I was knocked flat for two full 
>days, and canceled three days of work.
>
>Experience B
>----I did an internet search regarding CA glues, and got into some medical 
>databases and the Material Safety Data sheets (MSDS) for the  chemicals
which 
>comprise the CA glue. These are ethyl cyanoacrylate (95-100%),  and 
>hydroquinones (0-1%). Amongst other hazards, the MSDS’s say “vapor highly 
>irritating to eyes and mucus membranes above 0.2 ppm exposure. Prolonged and 
>repeated overexposure to vapors may produce symptoms of non-allergic asthma 
>in sensitive individuals.” AND - lucky us, you can become sensitized to the 
>chemicals after repeated overexposure!  ( I understand that the “odorless” 
>stuff is just as bad, just a different ester, but I am not sure of this.)
>
>Experience C
>----I tipped an upright and treated it, windows open, big fan blowing across 
>block, me wearing new organic vapor canisters in mask. Treated it as fast as 
>I could, 10 minutes, stood it up and left. Didn’t take the mask off until 
>outside. I was knocked flat for a day, same symptoms as in experience A 
>above. 
>
>Experience D
>----13 days later (the people went on vacation) I returned to this upright 
>and pitch raised and tuned it  normally, without a mask.  House and piano
had 
>been closed up. Later I felt mild respiratory symptoms for several hours.  
>Proving that I  personally am highly allergic,  or sensitive, to the stuff.
>
>BIG QUESTION --- So what happens if you treat a piano and run like a chicken 
>thief away from the fuming chemicals in the piano? - The customer doesn’t! 
>This upright’s owners, a couple in their 70’s, were frail. Where does it 
>leave me, or them, if 6 hours after I leave they call the paramedics because 
>one of them is in respiratory distress? Do they sue? Am I negligent? Am I 
>liable? 
>
>They sell CA glue in tiny little bottles and tubes, as it is normally used
as 
>a spot here, a dab there.  Now, out of the blue, tuners are pouring ounces
of 
>the stuff into pianos and the piano sits there fuming off for days! Piano 
>technicians, once the height of innocuous people, are in people’s homes 
>acting like toxic waste dumpers!
>
>MY SOLUTION?  
>The CA treatment is so darn effective, I would really hate to stop using it.
>
>- I have a small oil-less air compressor that can feed outside air through  
>30 foot of tubing directly into my mask. Good for me, useless to the 
>customer. (not used yet)
>
>- I just bought 30 feet of 2” swimming pool vacuum cleaning hose, so that I 
>might set a shop vac outside and suck air from a flimsy plastic sheet or 
>cardboard hood which I can set up over the pinblock.  (not used yet)  I like 
>this approach because if accelerator is used, the “fuming” should be of
short 
>duration, and the fumes are evacuated from the house, reducing my exposure,  
>the customers exposure,  and my liability. 
>
>- Move it out! Bring the piano to my shop, treat it with a huge airflow, 
>protecting myself, then days later work on it and move it back, and charge 
>the customer for the ride.  About zero  possibility of adversely affecting 
>the customer or me.
>
>
>HAS ANYONE ON THIS LIST NOTICED OR HEARD ABOUT ANY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES TO 
>THE HEALTH OF THE CUSTOMER OR TECHNICIAN from doing CA treatments? If so, I 
>would really like to hear about it.
>
>
>So, Mr. Carpenter, you asked good questions.  I will watch for the feedback 
>of others.
>
>
>Sincerely, 
>
>Bill  Simon
>Phoenix
>  

Jon Page,  Harwich Port,  Cape Cod,  Mass.  mailto:jpage@capecod.net
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