UVEB Coating Safety

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UV/EB Coating Safety Handling RadTech February
2008 Winter Meeting
Susan Scheuering
Research Scientist, Innovations
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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling

• Armstrong is continually working to achieve world
  class safety performance.
• In 2007, 10 of our plants had zero recordable
  injuries.
• 30 plants had zero lost work day injuries.

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
How Did We Do It?

• Identifying potential hazards on the UV finishing
  lines and eliminating/reducing those hazards
• Putting SOPs in place for all finishing equipment
• Training workers on the SAFE usage of finishing
  equipment
• Continually conveying to workers that safety is
  not an inconvenience, but the way we must conduct
  our daily activities

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
Potential Hazards of a Wood Finishing Line¹

• Sanding
• Exposure to toxic or explosive wood dust
• Coating Mixing, Application, Cleanup
• Vapors/aerosols from coatings, solvents or other
  cleaning chemicals
• Exposure to solvents and other toxic/irritating
  chemicals
• Hazardous waste
• Thermal Curing
• VOC management and control
• Special UV/EB-Curing Considerations
• UV/EB Radiation
• Ozone
• Potential skin and eye irritation
• Premature polymerization

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
Controls for the Prevention/Reduction of
Wood Dust¹
Controls
Hazards

• Exhaust ventilation
• Process or operator enclosures
• Avoid sources of ignition
• Good housekeeping procedures
• Do not used compressed air for cleaning dust off
  equipment and work surfaces
• Use vacuum as an alternative to sweeping
• Protective clothing
• Dust mask or respirator
• Eye protection (safety glasses or goggles)

• Explosion
• Eye and skin irritation
• Skin infections
• Respiratory effects
• Increased risk of nasal tumors

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
UV/EB Coating Hazards and Controls

• UV/EB coatings are irritants to the eyes and skin
  upon exposure
• Effects can range from slightly to severely
  irritating
• Skin irritation is most commonly know as
  contact dermatitis
• Symptoms include
• Localized redness or rash
• Swelling and blistering of affected areas

• Symptoms may not be seen until 1 2 days after
  exposure
• Skin sensitization can also occur (allergic
  reaction)
• Looks like contact dermatitis, but is due to an
  allergic reaction to a particular chemical

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
UV/EB Coating Hazards and Controls

• Potential health effects of UV/EB coating hazards
  are easily controlled through the use of
• Engineering controls
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Good work practices

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
UV/EB Coating Hazards and Controls

• Engineering Controls
• Proper ventilation around coating equipment,
  storage rooms and waste containers
• Guarding around mixing and application equipment
• Eye wash and shower stations located near finish
  equipment
• Avoid ignition sources (especially for cleanup
  chemicals)

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
UV/EB Coating Hazards and Controls

• Personal Protective Equipment
• First line of defense
• Used in conjunction with engineering controls
  and good work practices
• Eye protection (safety glasses, side shields,
  goggles, face shields)
• Heavy nitrile, neoprene or butyl rubber gloves
  are recommended for heavy industrial use
• Cotton lined (if available) to reduce sweat
  sweat increases potential for dermatitis
• Latex gloves are NOT recommended
• Arm sleeves, aprons
• Chemical resistant safety shoes

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
UV/EB Coating Hazards and Controls

• Good Work Practices
• Wash hands after task involving coatings is
  complete
• Also before eating, drinking, smoking and using
  restroom facilities
• No eating, drinking or smoking in work areas
• Clean any and all surfaces/tools if contaminated
• UV/EB coatings do not evaporate or cure over
  time
• Dermatitis cases can increase when housekeeping
  standards are lacking

• MSDS for all chemicals should be located near the
  finishing line in case of exposure or spills
• All chemical/coating containers should be
  adequately labeled

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
First Aid for UV/EB Coating Contact

• If skin exposure does occur with a UV/EB coating
  material, wash the affected area with soap and
  water.
• DO NOT USE SOLVENTS!
• Barrier creams help when washing off material
  that may have gone through clothing, but DO NOT
  apply barrier creams after exposure.
• If UV/EB coating material gets into the eye,
  thoroughly flush the eye for at least 15 to 20
  minutes.

• Seek medical attention if irritation develops or
  if symptoms persist from the above exposures.

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
First Aid for UV/EB Coating Contact

• If overcome by vapors or aerosols, move to fresh
  air
• Seek medical attention if irritation develops or
  symptoms persist
• If UV/EB chemicals are ingested, DO NOT induce
  vomiting.
• If you are able, drink 1 to 2 glasses of water
• Seek medical attention immediately.

• Read all MSDS and labels of UV/EB materials in
  use for specific hazards and first aid measures.

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
Other UV/EB Considerations

• Exposure prevention
• Minimize escape of UV and EB radiation with
  shielding
• UV light does not reflect significantly from
  most surfaces, therefore, if there is a large
  amount of light escaping from a system, it
  typically can easily be contained with minimal
  shielding.³
• Properly ventilate UV/EB areas to minimize ozone
  from entering the workplace
• The interaction of short-wavelength UV light
  with oxygen causes the generation of ozone.
• Due to the high reactivity of the ozone, the
  material will typically decompose back to oxygen
  while traveling through the exhaust system.³

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UV/EB Coating Safety and Handling
References
¹ Golden, Ron (2004). Wood Coatings Safety and
Handling. RadTech Report July/August, 33 44.
² RadTech Environmental Health Safety
Committee. (2004). UV/EB Curing, A Safe Choice
DVD. United States. ³ Bean, Anthony Cortese,
Joann. UV Curing Health Safety. Environotes.
http//www.pneac.org/sheets/flexo/uvcuringhealthan
dsafety.pdf