Pregnancy & health & safety

[Victoria]

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to get pregnant & want to find out about health & safety issues in the workshop during pregnancy & afterwards...

I appreciate that no-one here is a doctor, but I can't go to the doctor and ask them "is it ok to use rouge?", as they're not going to know what I'm talking about! So I was wondering if anyone here can tell me the chemical components of the items below so I can at least then try & find out about their health risks? Perhaps if anyone from Cooksons is reading, they can advise? There's pretty much nothing on the internet & I have no idea who to ask!

The main chemicals I use are:
1. Pickle - I use Cooksons safety pickle. I'm planning to switch either using this cold so there's no risk of inhaling fumes, or trying a vinegar solution instead. Anyone had success with eco alternatives?
2. Flux - not sure how dangerous this is, as long as I don't drink it?!
3. Tripoli/rouge - I was slightly freaked out when I ordered a Foredom drill from the US & it came with a pot of rouge powder which said "may cause birth defects" on it! I haven't used this (and don't intend to!) as I currently have a bar of Cooksons rouge. What is it made of & is it the same as the stuff from the US? I don't think the cooksons rouge came with any kind of health warning.
4. Barrelling compound - should I wear gloves when I'm fishing jewellery out of my tumbler? Are their chemicals that can go through my skin?

In general I wear a mask to protect myself from inhaling dust & fumes & I work in a fairly spacious area. Is this enough? One article on Ganoskin recommended staying away from the workshop entirely but this is my living... Any other ladies out there who carried on working through pregnancy?

Thanks for any advice!
Victoria

[ps_bond]

You can take the COSSH sheets for the things you're using to your doctor, then there's less chance of miscommunication.

[Victoria]

hi Peter?

What does COSSH stand for? I have, since posting this, remembered the cooksons knowledgebase & the data sheets on there so am scouring those.

I'm still interested in eco alternatives to pickle or any other chemicals as, pregnant or not, the less chemicals the better!

Cheers
Victoria

[ps_bond]

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
- equivalent of US MSDS.

Fundamentally, *everything* is toxic at some point, or in some way of using it. It's just a question of limiting exposure and applying a measure of common sense. In the case of the US polish labels, remember it's in the context of a *very* litigious society and what one country's health & safety experts will regard as a high level risk, another may not.

As for eco pickles - alum, citric acid and salt/vinegar are touted. However - in use, you dissolve copper into them. Copper is a heavy metal biocide (and quite an effective one)... So we're back to the common sense thing.

Watch out for dihydrogen monoxide too

[Victoria]

OK, fair point about the copper, so even switching to salt & vinegar I will be careful.

Is dihydrogen monoxide a side effect of eco pickle or something else?!

V

PS. "Heavy Metal Biocide" would be a great name for a band

[ps_bond]

Dihydrogen monoxide is me being a git

H2O

(sorry!)

A spoof site on the "issue":
http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

[Victoria]

Oh you're sooooo funny! Can you tell I know nothing about chemicals...?!

[Dennis]

The main hazards for everyone are:

1. Prolonged exposure to fumes from heating glues,pastes and liquids and carbon monoxide from partially burned gas. Masks will not help you much unless specifically designed for this.

Your main protection will be ample ventilation and reduced working times under hazardous conditions.

2. All eating and drinking in the workplace, which should be avoided.

Hands should be washed when leaving. A good alternative to safety pickle is alum, available from chemists and Indian food stores. It does have to be kept hand hot, but is more benign as it is actually used in cooking, in some cultures. Alum also leaves silver a beautiful light colour, which is another benefit. Dennis.

[Lucie]

Hi & Congratulations
I'm due next Friday (unless I can figure out a way of getting my stubborn young lady to arrive sooner & agree with all the above.

I do A LOT of polishing and work with stone / dust.
I've spent the last few months in a hair net and a good mask (I bought mine from Tiranti, but there's probably cheaper places).
I wear gloves for anything with chemicals, but not for polishing as I worry I might take my hand off if a glove gets caught up in my rather brutal polishing motor! I've also relocated onto a bench by the back door temporarily for extra ventilation.

I never polish around my other small people, as it's easy to underestimate how much dust you generate!

To be honest, I've been seriously looking at a dust extraction hood, as this is probably the ideal way to go with a house full of kiddies and temperamental electrical appliances. DVD players particularly seem to have an aversion to dust

[ps_bond]

Sounds good precautions; as far as masks go, are you using a cartridge-based system? I use nitrile gloves for handling all sorts of things - I've always got at least a box on hand.
Dust extraction is a good move - it's the next thing I'll add to my polishing setup (with removable filter for lemel processing).