The Dangers of Detailing!

[Derrick]

Forgive the title but it is time to talk about a subject that should have been discussed long ago and should be a continued topic throughout your detailing career. Auto detailing, depending on the process, can be dangerous!

You may be thinking ‘This guy is crazy!’ I assure you, I am not. Every time you use a cutting agent, be it a mild polish or a heavy cut compound, to correct paint and the product starts dusting you are doing damage to your lungs.

Sanding, buffing and polishing release particles of paint and abrasives that can and will destroy your lungs ability to properly perform. Once you’ve destroyed lung tissue, it does not grow back! It becomes scar tissue, which can no longer transfer oxygen to the body.

If you destroy too much lung tissue, you'll be breathing through a tube while carrying an oxygen tank for the rest of your life OR you’ll be dead! In some cases of acute respiratory failure the victim will have to be rush to the hospital or they will die on the spot!

I am writing this because I read on another forum of a fellow detailer who recently died. After looking at the products, pads and processes he was using to correct the paint, I wondered if he would have been alive today if he had used a respirator.

Auto detailing supply stores, do you sell respirators and filters for your detailing customers? If you don’t, please start selling them today!

I believe these items are so important, they should be sold at cost. Your customers health is too precious to cut their detailing careers short because of these item's small amount of profit.

Thinking of my fellow detailers,
Derrick

[PerroneFord]

Good stuff Derrick.

I have respirators handy though I tend to choose products that don't dust. I also have hearing protection. These basic precautions can do much to preserve your health. Oh, and add gloves to that. Both nitrile and padded.

[Blackthornone]

Wearing a dust filter mask I think is a very intelligent thing to do when you buff, or produce any product dust that can be inhaled when working.
If you do it just once or twice a year it isn't so bad, but guys who do it on a regular basis seem to just get used to it, or builds up a tolerance, which basically means that they have come to accept the feeling of all that stuff in their lungs all the time. I've been to body shops where people don't wear masks when buffing using wool pads, and you can smell the debris in the air. I guess people are too self conscious about their immediate appearance to use one, when they should be more self conscious about their long term health and then use one. Seriously. If you buff or sand all the time, you need to wear a dust filter. In addition, it makes you look more professional, too.

[killrwheels@autogeek]

In general we should all indeed be careful at what we use, inhale, and allow to sit on our skin. We should indeed use some care. I saw the post on another site, and while I dont know the particulars I do hope he rests in peace.

[budman3]

Also we should be cautious with acidic wheel cleaners and other solvents that touch our skin -- professional and durable disposable gloves would be another nice addition to preserve our health.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by PerroneFord

Good stuff Derrick.

I have respirators handy though I tend to choose products that don't dust. I also have hearing protection. These basic precautions can do much to preserve your health. Oh, and add gloves to that. Both nitrile and padded.

I have a mask, goggles, and hearing protection. I got hit twice in my detailing career by dust and that's when I said "It's not happening again!" Both times it happened when I was trying out a new product. Non dusting polishes are the best and safest polishes out there. They may take longer to correct paint so I just charge by the hour.

Originally Posted by Blackthornone

Wearing a dust filter mask I think is a very intelligent thing to do when you buff, or produce any product dust that can be inhaled when working.
If you do it just once or twice a year it isn't so bad, but guys who do it on a regular basis seem to just get used to it, or builds up a tolerance, which basically means that they have come to accept the feeling of all that stuff in their lungs all the time. I've been to body shops where people don't wear masks when buffing using wool pads, and you can smell the debris in the air. I guess people are too self conscious about their immediate appearance to use one, when they should be more self conscious about their long term health and then use one. Seriously. If you buff or sand all the time, you need to wear a dust filter. In addition, it makes you look more professional, too.

A high cut compound spewing dust everywhere can have you bleeding through the nose and internally. All it takes is 1 bad buffing session and you can do major damage.

Originally Posted by killrwheels@autogeek

In general we should all indeed be careful at what we use, inhale, and allow to sit on our skin. We should indeed use some care. I saw the post on another site, and while I dont know the particulars I do hope he rests in peace.

I was surprised when I read that he was using a heavy cut compound as a one step! That shocked me bigtime! May he rest in peace.

Originally Posted by budman3

Also we should be cautious with acidic wheel cleaners and other solvents that touch our skin -- professional and durable disposable gloves would be another nice addition to preserve our health.

High acidic and alkaline cleaners should be used with proper skin protection and in plenty of fresh air.

Thanks again fellows,
Derrick

[A4 1.8tqm]

The first time I compounded I was using 3M Super Duty or 'sand in a bottle', which has a terrible warning label, in a closed garage while chain smoking 'till the birds were chirping. Needless to say my lungs were not happy in the morning. I promptly purchased masks and Menz Power gloss to replace that bottle of hell.

[dan45hk]

Smoking is much more dangerous, it also worsens the reaction inhaled particulate has on the lungs.

[AeroCleanse]

You should pick your products carefully and always read the MSDS information.

[Wendell Jarvis]

Very, Very good post !! I for one use Dust mask when using compounds that kick up dust,its a good habit to do, not the most comfortable thing in the world but I do know that breathing anything except AIR cant be good for your lungs. Yes, I have inhaled several times (Bill Clinton) .....lol.....