By Keith Duplessie 

All workplaces, and even most homes, use products that contain solvents. Solvents are some of the most useful substances, but can be very dangerous if not used carefully.

Technically, solvents are used to dissolve other materials. They are used, for example, for degreasing, corrosion removal and heavy cleaning. In fact, they’re a mainstay in most detail operations as a component of many other chemicals.

There’s no doubt that you have used solvents in your detail business without even being aware of it. Some might have been alcohol, turpentine, acetone, formaldehyde, toluene, ethylene chloride and trichloroethylene. While these are all solvents, they all have different uses, which means there are different hazards you need to be aware of when using them.

Health issues are a major concern when working with solvents. Eye contact can cause irritation, burning or conjunctivitis (pink eye). Sovents can damage the eyes and even lead to blindness. Contact with the skin also poses problems, including rashes, skin burns or dry skin. The biggest concerns when working with solvents, however, are inhalation and ingestion. Many solvents evaporate quickly and have no color or noticeable smell. Therefore, it is easy to inhale solvent vapors without even realizing it. And if inhaled, they can move quickly into the bloodstream. This can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, a sore throat, respiratory irritation, tremors and even blurred vision. Inhaling some solvents, such as trichloroethylene, can make you feel as if you’re drunk, triggering the same loss of mental focus and physical coordination.

Prolonged or heavy exposure to many solvents can be life-threatening. Some of the serious side effects are permanent damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Some solvents can cause cancer. Serious overexposure can cause one to lose consciousness or even die. With all these potential health problems — plus the risks of fire, explosion and pollution from careless waste disposal — it’s critical that you know what you and your employees are doing when working with solvents.

As you should know, solvents are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard. OSHA requires your detail business to inform employees about the hazards of all chemicals they use on the job, including solvents. They also need to receive training on how to protect themselves from these hazards by following Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) precautions and using company-provided equipment and protective clothing.

You can learn of a solvent’s hazards by reading the container label and, more importantly, the MSDS. Pay special attention to health hazards and to the required protective equipment and procedures. The MSDS should alert the employee to whether, and in what conditions, the solvent may burn or explode. Do not allow employees to work with a hazardous chemical until they have studied the label and the MSDS. Have them zero-in on areas of particular concern, such as solvent inhalation hazards, and check out everything on the label and MSDS before starting any task. If there is no label or if the label is incomplete, stop right there. Even if you’re sure you know what’s in the container, using an unlabeled chemical is an unacceptable risk.

The Clean Air Act requires that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates emissions of toxic air pollutants from a published list of industrial sources referred to as “source categories.” As required under the act, the EPA has developed a list of source categories that must meet control technology requirements for these toxic air pollutants. The agency is required to develop regulations for all industries that emit one or more of the pollutants in significant quantities. It has developed checklists and other implementation tools to help comply with the standards. The rules that govern halogenated cleaning solvents (degreasing organic cleaners) can be found on the EPA’s Web site, www.epa.gov. 

Solvents used in the detailing business make up a big part of its hazardous waste. You can help protect the environment and your workers — and save money — by reducing the amount of solvents you use. The watch-phrase is: Use the least hazardous solvent. Many solvents contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are chemicals that get into the air and can harm people and the environment. The MSDS will have information on the amount of VOCs in the solvents you buy. Always try to use material with the lowest percentage of VOCs possible.

Many waste solvents are hazardous wastes. Some still-bottoms and used solvents are on a list of hazardous wastes called the “F List,” while other, unused solvents are on the “U List.” Commonly listed hazardous waste solvents include trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene (perc), methylene chloride, xylene, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and toluene. Read the ingredients label and MSDS before you buy.

The rules that apply to your detail business depend on the solvent types and quantities you use, as well as the size of your operation. Your chemical supplier should be able to tell you whether the chemicals you use are considered hazardous waste. If not, check with the manufacturer directly. If you cannot find out from either of these sources, contact the EPA or CCAR-GreenkLink for help. When calling, you’ll need the MSDS listing the ingredients in your chemical and the flash point, which is the temperature at which the solvent vapor will catch fire.

Now that you are (hopefully) aware of the hazards, let’s look at the ways to protect yourself and your employees from them. First, simply reduce the use of solvents and hazardous chemicals containing them. You should always be looking for less hazardous alternatives. Try to replace hazardous solvents with water-based cleaning methods, waterless cleaners or mineral spirits. Minimize the amount of solvent that evaporates: keep containers closed when not in use, and keep solvents in containers where the exposed liquid will have the least amount of surface area possible.

Even taking these steps, you can’t eliminate all use of hazardous solvents. You must take other protective steps, such as the following.

To prevent a fire when you’re working with flammable solvents:

• Use the solvent only in well-ventilated areas.
• Be sure containers are grounded before transferring solvents.
• Remove all heat and ignition sources from the area, including flames and sparking tools.
• Don’t smoke in the shop or when using solvents.

Another potential solvent hazard is ground or water contamination. Control spills by:

• Keeping containers closed when not in use.
• Inspecting containers regularly for leaks, corrosion and dents. Correct immediately.
• Cleaning up solvent leaks promptly and properly.
• Placing solvent wastes in proper containers for disposal. Never put a drop into drains, sewage or regular trash.

Controls are the first line of protection from chemical hazards. The No. 1 control for solvent use is your ventilation system. It can play a key role in preventing solvent vapors from building up to dangerous levels in your shop. When working with solvents, make sure that your ventilation equipment is working, and if it isn’t, fix it immediately. Because solvents are often invisible and odorless, you won’t know they’re present until it’s too late.

Another way to control exposure to solvents is to use them in enclosed areas that prevent vapors from escaping. For example, degreasing is often done in a wash bay outside. But if the bay is inside, it should have some type of exhaust ventilation. You can avoid direct contact by using pressurized spray tanks. The least desirable method is a plastic spray bottle. When your controls don’t seem to be enough to keep solvent exposure at safe levels, the next line of defense is personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing.

PPE can reduce skin or eye contact with solvents and prevent dangerous inhalation.

It is also important to prevent indirect exposure to solvents by following these rules:

• Don’t eat, drink or smoke in an area that contains solvents.
• Don’t leave food, beverages, mugs or utensils in solvent storage or work areas.
• Don’t wash with solvents. They may do an effective cleaning job, but they can also harm your skin.
• Wash thoroughly after handling solvents.
• Don’t wear contact lenses when you work with solvents; they can trap fumes.
• Remove contaminated PPE carefully to avoid spreading the solvent to your skin, street clothes or clean parts of the facility.

Another part of solvent safety is knowing what to do in an emergency. The MSDS provides valuable safety advice, including what to use to clean up a spill or put out a fire.

These emergencies demand prompt responses.

Clean up the smallest spills yourself, if you are properly outfitted and have the right equipment. Otherwise, don’t linger if there’s a fire or spill. There may be invisible vapors that could cause or intensify a fire or put your health at risk. Immediately notify emergency response personnel. Alert others in the area to the danger, and get out quickly so that trained responders can do their job.

If you become aware of solvent vapors in an area of the shop where you don’t have adequate respiratory protection, have employees leave the area immediately. If possible, close doors and vents. These situations may also demand immediate first-aid for exposure. The MSDS will tell you exactly what to do for exposure to a particular solvent. But here are some general practices to keep in mind:

• For inhalation, move to fresh air immediately.
• Victims with significant exposure may need artificial respiration through CPR.
• For eye contact, flush with lots of water for 20 minutes.
• For skin contact, wash thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. Don’t scrub.
• In case of swallowing, call for emergency medical assistance immediately.

Then follow the instructions on the label or MSDS. Never, however, give fluids to an unconscious person.

First aid is a beginning, but it may not be enough. Because of the serious potential effects of solvent exposure, get medical attention as quickly as possible. Every chemical used in the detail workplace requires special attention. Even the most common chemicals may not be risk-free. Fortunately, the MSDS provides good information on hazards, along with instructions on protective equipment and safety practices that enable you to get the benefit of these chemicals without causing accidents or health problems.

Solvents are also good examples of the fact that hazards can exist even when we can’t see or smell them. You must take the time to identify what you’re working with and what precautions it requires. Furthermore, to assist the suppliers in finding alternative, less-hazardous solvents, you should review the Solvents Alternative Guide (SAGE) on the EPA’s site. This guide provides pollution prevention information on solvents and process alternatives for parts-cleaning and degreasing. Hopefully you now know more about solvents and are safer because of it.

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