health effects of [was] applying powdered teflon

[Andrew and Rebeca Anderson]

Mark,
Thanks.  We do have similar laws.  Generally we prefer to be 
blissfully ignorant.

Andrew

At 03:33 PM 2/23/2007, you wrote:
>I just had a look at the Material Safety Data Sheet for Teflon powder.
>
>If inhaled in can be a potential carcinogen. It didn't mention anything
>about how much you have to inhale for that risk to become an issue. High
>inhalation risk is usually accompanied by a warning to wear protective
>equipment, which wasn't on the sheet, so my reading of that is that even the
>smallest risk has to be mentioned. I can't imagine that it is as volatile as
>say asbestos, where a single fibre can eventually bring about mesophylioma
>(sp?)/Lung Cancer.
>
>But it makes me aware enough to be careful from now on - I'm not going to
>wear a mask based on that. The powder is stable and sticky enough that I'm
>not concerned - but I will be washing my hands immediately after applying it
>in future or evacuating a space if there is a spill that has caused obvious
>airborne particles until it has settled!
>
>The data sheet didn't talk about the danger at high temps except that it
>melts at 327 degree Celsius (whatever that might be in F I have no idea).
>
>Here in Australia, businesses are legally required to carry material safety
>data sheets for all compounds and products used in the workplace even down
>to the washing liquid used in the kitchen sink - if it's handled by any
>employee, you have to have one!! The sheets are available to one and all via
>the net on just about everything...
>
>  - do you guys have similar workplace laws?
>
>On that Cheery note
>Ciao
>Mark Bolsius
>
>Bolsius Piano Services
>Canberra Australia
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: R Barber [mailto:bassooner42 at yahoo.com]
>Sent: Saturday, 24 February 2007 2:52 AM
>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>Subject: health effects of [was] applying powdered teflon
>
>When your body tries to expel it from the lungs, you can get pneumonia.
>    I don't know about longer term diseases?
>I always use a nose and mouth filter breathing mask when sanding and
>spraying, but don't bother when brushing on TeflonT.  I always wish I
>had a dust mask on when opening up one of those great filthy dusty
>pianos people like to keep sitting just beside the dining room table.
>
>http://www.ohiocitizen.org/campaigns/dupont_c8/c8cartoon2.jpg
>
> > As I understood it, the health concerns around our use micro-fine
> > Teflon were not related to burning it, but rather inhaling it.  The
> > danger with any extremely fine particles, measured in microns, is that
> > they are easily inhaled deeply into the alveoli.  These are the tiny
> > spheres in the lungs where gas exchange takes place.   It is difficult
> > for the body to expel anything that gets stuck down there.  The long
> > term effects of that are ????
> >
> > Teflon itself may be inert at the temperatures we are talking about,
> > but I still wouldn't want to inhale it or anything else of a similar
> > particle size.  Perhaps taking precautions when working with some of
> > the materials we commonly use is more appropriate than a cavalier
> > attitude?
> >
> > Jurgen Goering
> > Piano Forte Supply
> > (250) 754-2440
> > info at pianofortesupply.com
> > http://www.pianofortesupply.com
> >
> >
> > On Feb 22, 2007, at 15:14, pianotech-request at ptg.org wrote:
> >
> >> Teflon is toxic if you heat it up (700 degrees or so) and has been
> >> presented as a danger in Teflon coated pans.  Fortunately, my wife
> >> doesn't heat anything in a pan to half that temperature so we feel
> >> safe and have the obvious longevity to prove it.  It's like a lot of
> >> the other "terrible things that can happen" if you take something to
> >> an extreme lots of bad things happen.