Safety Question

[rusty bumper]

On certain bottles of Meguiar's cleaners, I have seen this:

WARNING: This product contains crystaline silica, which in airborne particles of respirable size is known to cause cancer.

I saw this on a bottle of #1 Medium-Cut Cleaner...And I think I saw it on a bottle of Body Scrub.

My question is, should we be using a respirator mask of some sort when using Meguiar's products with crystaline silica, and should it have N-95 filtration or above ?

I did not see this ingredient in DACP, Madallion Paint Cleaner or Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner.

[Rockpick]

According to OSHA 1910.1000 Table Z-3, the PEL for silica dust is a calculated number based on personal air monitoring over a 8 hour standard work day (or calculated over a TWL).

Further, according to the MSDS for Meguiar's, the #1 Medium-Cut contains 15-30% (by weight) crystalline silica. The only threat that would be noted by this VERY small amount would be if you were turning this product into a powder and providing it a very available resource for it to become airborne. In my professional opinion, (and I do environmental, health and safety work for a living) even then you'd have an exposure much less than the excursion limit set forth by the same table mentioned above.

The MSDS says this:

Per M01-Medium Cut Cleaner MSDS...
RESPIATORY PROTECTION: In case of insufficient ventilation wear suitable respiratory equipment.

So, keep your work area well-ventilated (which all of us already do) and you're fine per OSHA's set standards.

Also, I should note, that California air and OSHA (called OEHHA in CA) regulations are more stringent than most of the United States. It is my understanding that California Proposition 65 states that the warning line that you've read on the bottles be published there. If it weren't for that regulation and the fact that Meguiar's conducts business in Cali, I doubt you'd even see that 'one-liner' printed on the bottle.

It's a VERY safe product.

RP

[rusty bumper]

Originally posted by Rockpick
According to OSHA 1910.1000 Table Z-3, the PEL for silica dust is a calculated number based on personal air monitoring over a 8 hour standard work day (or calculated over a TWL).

Further, according to the MSDS for Meguiar's, the #1 Medium-Cut contains 15-30% (by weight) crystalline silica. The only threat that would be noted by this VERY small amount would be if you were turning this product into a powder and providing it a very available resource for it to become airborne. In my professional opinion, (and I do environmental, health and safety work for a living) even then you'd have an exposure much less than the excursion limit set forth by the same table mentioned above.

The MSDS says this:



So, keep your work area well-ventilated (which all of us already do) and you're fine per OSHA's set standards.

Also, I should note, that California air and OSHA (called OEHHA in CA) regulations are more stringent than most of the United States. It is my understanding that California Proposition 65 states that the warning line that you've read on the bottles be published there. If it weren't for that regulation and the fact that Meguiar's conducts business in Cali, I doubt you'd even see that 'one-liner' printed on the bottle.

It's a VERY safe product.

RP

Thanks for responding Rockpick...

The part that concerns me is that these types of cleaners seem to dry out to a fine powder on the pad & finish with each application. Evidently, crystaline silica is easily airborne this way...It's also airborne when the residue is removed from the paint and when the towel is shaken out, and when cleaning the buffing pad with a brush.

Are you saying that if I breathe a small cloud of this dust (Outside) that I should not worry about it?...Is there more to these dust clouds than just crystaline silica?

I guess the neighbors must think that I've flipped out due to the fact that I've been wearing at least an N-95 respirator when using #1...

[Rockpick]

Knowing what I know about OSHA regulations and crystalline silica, speaking only for myself here, I wouldn't have any worries unless I was in a totally unventilated environment. Even then, I doubt I'd don a half-face.

In my opinion, the few ounces that you might utilize to polish a VERY large sized SUV (lets say, a Ford Excursion) would be so minimal that I seriously doubt you'd trip any type of 'action level'.

So, let's say you utilize 8 oz to do that vehicle. 30% of that would be 2.4 oz. Of course, we both know that 8 oz is probably a silly amount (especially with a PC or similar). Assuming again that 100% of that 30% managed to get airborne (which is nearly impossible...especially within your breathing zone (BZ)). Dissipate and dilute that volume over the entire volume of the air within the area that you're working and be sure to include the air movement by utilizing a fan blowing to the outside or even something (like a vent, door crack, human movement, machine movement, etc.) inside circulating/moving air and you're going to see very near no exposure.

I could go on but do you see where I'm going?

If you're utilizing this product outdoors (which most probably would), again, I, personally, would suspect that a number very near (if not at) 0 would be your exposure. I would speculate that you'd get a much higher doseage at the baseball field because of dust blowing around or walking on a dusty road to your favorite fishing spot or strolling along the beach.

Long story short, I believe it's on the bottle to supplement the California regulations and I'd have ZERO worries but, it's always better to err on the safe side...

RP

[rusty bumper]

Thanks Rockpick,

I'll hold my breath the next time I see a cloud of it...