[TheForge] TheForge Digest, Vol 74, Issue 17

[John Husvar]

On 3/21/10 8:33 PM, "Jerry Frost" <akfrosty at mtaonline.net> wrote:


> extravagant sounding precautions. Xylene is BAD for you, really BAD.
> 

So _that's_ what happened to me! Now I know why I'm so craaaaazy, crazy
enough to be a smith anyway! :)

When I worked in the overhead crane factory and for a crane service company
we used Xylol (trade name for xylene) for parts cleaning and darn near
everything else as a solvent, thinner and so on; no wimpy gloves, suits,
respirators, etc.:)

Hell, it was also a factory joke to tell a guy to be careful using MEK to
degrease gearboxes etc. and laugh at him when he passed out if he didn't pay
attention. (Losing consciousness without warning is a known hazard of MEK.)

It's a wonder I've lived _this_ long. I've provably (not probably) been
exposed to nearly every industrial chemical and hazardous material there is
and with little or no protective gear. I'd bet there isn't one plant I did
repairs in that wasn't loaded with asbestos. It was the industry standard
insulation back in the day.