Oooh, That Smell! Will it Kill Me?

[NCspecs]

Okay, I saw the recent thread regarding the smell of high index and whether or not it is harmful to our bodies after prolonged exposure. After it got hijacked by Captian Whack-a-doodle I figured that most of my OB buddies lost interest. So I resurrected the same question so we could get down to brass tacks and really look at this closely. I'm somewhat concerned, epecially since I might consider popping out a kid some day and I need to know if I should curtail my lab activities before and during a possible pregnancy.

High index is smelly but Trivex scares me. I end up with a dust cloud in the lab when I edge and although I try to escape I don't always have that option. Should I just go buy some dust masks for lab work or should I avoid that mess altogether? Thoughts? Concerns? Protestations?

[MikeAurelius]

Mid-to-high volume exhaust fan with a hood directly over the edging area. Fresh air intake at the far end of the room, as far away from the edgers as possible. That's all you need.

[EyeManFla]

I think back to the good old days with glass surfacing and then CR-39 tinting using RIT dye and boiling acetone.....

Having said that, most of the guys I worked with died of cancer or heart disease.

[optical24/7]

I've been doing lab for about 38 years. No ill effects what so ever for me or my beautiful daughter. We just love her 3rd eye and 12 fingers!

[Flux3r]

I bought a respirator, industrial grade for about 30 bucks, weather or not it works i certainly feel more comfortable around it.

[rbaker]

Should I just go buy some dust masks for lab work or should I avoid that mess altogether? Thoughts? Concerns? Protestations?

Ultimately you, and you alone, are responsible for your personal health and welfare. If I had even the slightest concern over the inhalation of some dreaded material I would wear an appropriate respirator.

[Chris Ryser]

Odor
Do you think that the smell of edging a high index lens wakes you up in the morning better than the strongest coffee? Unfortunately not everyone agrees and most people find the smell Hydrogen Sulfide (or Sulphide aka H₂S) to smell like rotten eggs and be quite distasteful. Dry edgers operating at 8 hours per day produce less than the 10ppm that is considered toxic exposure to H₂S however lower concentrations can result in eye irritation, a sore throat and cough, nausea, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs. Long-term low exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, poor memory and dizziness. Quatro Air has created our Fresh-Air series of portable dust and odor purifiers with either Active Carbon modules for odors from coating equipment or special compound modules for H₂S removal. You will be amazed at how effective these units are and will wonder how you lived without one until now. Of course now you will have to rely on that coffee to wake you up.

Dust


Perfect for dry edgers and other grinding applications the JetStream offers significant advantages and performance over the competition
Maximum airflow 110 CFM with a maximum pressure of 90" W.C.
1 micron pre-filter bag, easily replaced
99.97% effective HEPA filter on particles larger than 0.3 micron
Built in silencer reduces noise to 49 dBA
sleek, modern and easily portable
full range speed control
CSA/UL approved motors with circuit breaker and thermal cut-out protection
remote on-off communication
optional 6 Gallon (26 l)Knock out bucket for larger debris
customizable for OEM applications





See aall of it ------------------------> http://www.quatro-air.com/optical-labs.html

[optimensch]

a milling-style edger, like a Mr Blue (in one of its edging modes) would seem to be a better and more environmentally-friendly option compared to the diamond wheel grinder. Less smell, less dust, less volatile compounds in the air.
I have heard some less-than-kind reviews of this machine, I hope in the future a newer generation will emerge using this lens-shaping technology.
I think the Optek machine uses a milling tool as well.

[NCspecs]

Ultimately you, and you alone, are responsible for your personal health and welfare. If I had even the slightest concern over the inhalation of some dreaded material I would wear an appropriate respirator.

Forgive me, I assumed that I had already exihibited a predilection for common sense. Please let me clarify; really my question is whether or not my peers wear masks or use any preventive measures to avoid inhalation of lens residue. Most answers have been quite succinct and helpful.

....most people find the smell Hydrogen Sulfide (or Sulphide aka H₂S) to smell like rotten eggs and be quite distasteful. Dry edgers operating at 8 hours per day produce less than the 10ppm that is considered toxic exposure to H₂S however lower concentrations can result in eye irritation, a sore throat and cough, nausea, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs. Long-term low exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, poor memory and dizziness...

Thanks Chris, this is exactly the information I was looking for, I appreciate it.

[nicksims]

[QUOTE=NCspecs;461316]Forgive me, I assumed that I had already exihibited a predilection for common sense.


You did NCspecs, you did!