Safety precautions around inks and other chemicals

[Lindquist]

Recently, one of my artists has been expressing concerns about exposure to the ink we use in both of our printers after researching about them online. I have MSDS sheets for all of the inks, and they label all of them as "danger" and make them sound pretty scary.

Having read the MSDS sheets, I'm made to believe that we shouldn't be operating the printer at all without wearing a full protective body suit, gloves, gas mask, and safety goggles at all times.

We have both an HP Scitex FB700 (UV) and a Mimaki JV3 (Solvent).

Fumes aren't really a problem anymore (granted, I've been around it for 8 years and probably wouldn't smell it anymore even if it did exist). The HP Scitex is brand new (about 6 months) and I've never noticed (or heard any complaints from others) about smells. The Mimaki used to give off some strong smells, but rarely anymore (probably because it isn't used much).

Does anyone have futher insight on this subject? We have always had some basic safety: we wear latex gloves frequently (for just about anything) and we have safety goggles that are worn when performing some more involved tasks (when I think ink splattering is a possibility - it's never actually happened though). I've never seen printer technicians wearing any particular protective gear (most don't even wear safety goggles).

I've told my artist that we can get some protective gear if he's really concerned about it, but I also want to get factual information and not just get scared into doing a bunch of unnecessary "precautions" for problems that don't exist.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Ive gotten solvent ink directly in my eyeball, and I ain't dead yet!

 

[PRS Bryan]

Yea, but your eyeball is always twitching at me, it kinda freaks me out.

I don't want that to happen to my eyes.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Ive gotten solvent ink directly in my eyeball, and I ain't dead yet!

Same here. I was working on a machine and the syringe popped off the print head and splashed solvent cleaner right in my mouth and eye ball. Flushed my eyes out in a water fountain and was pleasantly surprised when I found out I wasn't blind. Solvent tastes like moonshine with a slight tinge of poison in case you were wondering.

 

[Morph1]

Is that a Solvent Mimaki or echo-solvet, because there is a huge difference...,
I can tell you one thing that if that Mimaki is a full solvent you should have a good ventilation unit to pull all the fumes out at all times while in operation...,
I remember when we were using straight solvent inks in our shop , there were times that I drove home and I could not remember how I got there...,
I could not recall the route I took ect..., till we put a large industrial fan in the window, but then we also converted to echo solvent inks still utilizing the large fan
pulling the air out of the room. Even right now there are times when I just forget to turn the fan on, I will print a solid coat of ink and right away my eyes start to sting and
I do get light headed, if I was in my early 20's I may not mind getting buzzed up lol , but those days are over ....
Your designer is right, imagine you breath the fumes in , it goes in your lungs and then into your blood stream..., the toxins will reside in every organ and tissue in your body...
Change to Echosolvent and put in a ventilation unit venting the air out...

Cheers !

 

[Lindquist]

It's not running the eco-solvent inks right now. We've had the Mimaki since 2006; I'm not even sure eco-solvent was an option then. We've run it the same way for 8 years. We have the vent built into the printer (big metal tube) but no additional ventilation.

I will look into what it takes to switch to eco-solvent.

However, the primary concern now is the UV printer as it prints 98% of everything we do. The solvent printer has almost zero work; it's basically our backup printer in the event of a problem. Do you have any recommendations for the UV?

 

[Morph1]

Do you have any recommendations for the UV?

Sorry cannot answer that one..., but there is probably a good reason for concern, it's a solvent ink that cures in air in a confined space..., I am sure there is some level of vapours...
Just get a fan in , you will make your operator more at ease and he will appreciate your concern over his health...

 

[Gino]

Sorry cannot answer that one..., but there is probably a good reason for concern, it's a solvent ink that cures in air in a confined space..., I am sure there is some level of vapours...
Just get a fan in , you will make your operator more at ease and he will appreciate your concern over his health...

So, if I put a fan at every employees desk and tell them I'm concerned for their health, can I stop paying their health package ??

If ya can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen...................... :ROFLMAO:​

 

[Morph1]

So, if I put a fan at every employees desk and tell them I'm concerned for their health, can I stop paying their health package ??

Read again what I wrote, put a fan in the wall or window to vent the air out, only in the print room....
dude your employees are human beings lol ... If you cannot understand it then sit all they next to that printer and participate...

 

[Gino]

Sorry cannot answer that one..., but there is probably a good reason for concern, it's a solvent ink that cures in air in a confined space..., I am sure there is some level of vapours...
Just get a fan in , you will make your operator more at ease and he will appreciate your concern over his health...

So, if I put a fan at every employees desk and tell them I'm concerned for their health, can I stop paying their health package ??

If ya can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen...................... :ROFLMAO:​

Read again what I wrote, put a fan in the wall or window to vent the air out, only in the print room....
dude your employees are human beings lol ... If you cannot understand it then sit all they next to that printer and participate...

Yo.... dude or dudette, whichever fits.......... I did read it.

You happened to let out certain words the first time around. I guess you think I.... or anyone else here, is a mind reader ??
I think you've already spent too much time under your printer with your communication skills and then lol at me.........

This one gets two :ROFLMAO: . :ROFLMAO: for being doubly stoopid
​

 

[Morph1]

What sense would that make to put a fan on his desk ? lol
you sound like a guy that does not care about the health of his employees...,
I'm just trying to help here, because I had worked in a similar environment and it was making myself and my co-workers sick...
Just for you Gino to be perfectly clear and transparent "DO NOT PUT / MOUNT A FAN ON EACH EMPLOYEES DESK" rather "INSTALL A FAN IN THE WALL OR WINDOW TO VENT AIR OUT" , treat the green colour message as the right thing to do just like proceeding ahead on green light .
Holding my fingers crossed that you will fully understand my message I'm trying to send out....

 

[Gino]

What sense would that make to put a fan on his desk ? lol
you sound like a guy that does not care about the health of his employees...,
I'm just trying to help here, because I had worked in a similar environment and it was making myself and my co-workers sick...
Just for you Gino to be perfectly clear and transparent "DO NOT PUT / MOUNT A FAN ON EACH EMPLOYEES DESK" rather "INSTALL A FAN IN THE WALL OR WINDOW TO VENT AIR OUT" , treat the green colour message as the right thing to do just like proceeding ahead on green light .
Holding my fingers crossed that you will fully understand my message I'm trying to send out....

Thank you for being so helpful.

To let you know, our employees, once they've worked here a certain amount of time, get their health care paid by us, in full. I would venture to say, we do care for our employees..... very much. They're also paid well and not made to drive home and not remember the drive home or path taken. They get one or two lunches bought a week for them. They have all kinds of perks, but are never made to work in an un-safe environment. You did that... and by your own admission, on many occasions. That is not being very responsible on your boss's level for doing that to you and also, your fault for going anyway, when you knew you shouldn't be. Responsibility just doesn't lie with the boss. If you can't speak up about it, then you either should've left or filed a written complaint. Two wrongs don't make a right. Anyone in their right mind knows solvent inks are bad for you and so are the eco solv inks. They're just masked more, but the same baddie things are still in them. Read your labels and ask questions and you'll find out. Just enjoying the high and driving around half lit, doesn't hide the fact.

 

[AF]

Call OSHA, they can help. Also get a copy of the GISO and read up.