Painter's health is worrying?

Surveys have shown that most painters who have worked for more than 10 years have symptoms of coughing, fatigue, headache, chest tightness, and weak limbs. At the same time, the proportion of severe diseases such as aplastic anemia, leukemia, tuberculosis, and pleurisy in this group is also quite high. Therefore, occupational diseases in paint workers cannot be ignored.

The main occupational hazard of paint operations is the inhalation of organic solvent vapors. All kinds of paints are composed of film-forming substances (all kinds of resins), solvents, pigments, desiccants, and additives. Ordinary paint usually uses gasoline as a solvent, epoxy iron red primer contains a small amount of xylene, impregnating paint mainly contains toluene, and also a small amount of benzene. Spray paint (nitro lacquer) and thinner (banana water) contain a large amount of benzene or toluene, xylene.

At present, most of paint practitioners have very poor protection conditions and almost no protective measures; some also use some low-quality, low-cost protective equipment with poor protection performance. Site workers have to passively inhale toxic and hazardous substances in large quantities. In particular, when the spraying method is used, the entire room is filled with paint particles, which is extremely harmful to human respiratory and lungs.

In terms of prevention, we must first select good paint and do not brush green paint. Developed countries such as Europe and the United States basically use water-based paints (without any poisonous solvents and dilution with water) instead of solvent-based paints. Although there are many water-borne paints that are healthy and environmentally friendly in China, they are not widely used. Second, workers should wear masks and gloves during construction to avoid direct contact with the skin; all windows should be opened for ventilation during construction. In addition, usually eat more high-vitamin foods, drink plenty of water.

Painters on roads are prone to "professional cancer"

In the past few days, the reporter conducted investigations on the situation of painters' poisoning during the decoration process. Master Wang, a 10-year painter from Anhui Huaibei, told reporters that in March 2010, he was introduced by a fellow acquaintance of his hometown. He went to a decoration company in Lanzhou as a painter. At the end of that year, the fellow countryman felt his body. Discomfort. In the spring of last year, he was diagnosed with acute leukemia in his hometown. In April of the same year, he died because of medical treatment. Master Wang said that some customers are particularly demanding about this process of painting. They are afraid of sticking dust when painting walls, other boards, etc. They will not allow windows to open. What they can't stand is the pungent smell. The eyes and throat are uncomfortable. In his side, all the fellows who are engaged in decoration are all accompanied by coughs, headaches, chest tightness, fatigue, weakness, and other symptoms.

This reporter learned that the National Indoor Decoration Association Environmental Monitoring Center has published data showing that as many as 110,000 poisoning deaths occur annually due to renovations, and painters bear the brunt. According to reports, because of the long exposure of painters to low concentrations of benzene, formaldehyde, etc., can cause chronic poisoning. The lighter ones are often accompanied by symptoms such as cough, headache, chest tightness, fatigue, and limb weakness. In severe cases, they can damage the nerve and hematopoietic system, and even affect the growth and development of the next generation, leading to birth defects. A large number of medical examinations confirmed that painters are at higher risk of lung cancer and bladder cancer. In addition, some of the wood products used in the decoration are also widespread in their chemical toxicants. The problem of excessively high toxic substances such as benzene, formaldehyde, aniline and diisocyanate is particularly serious. This is a problem for decorators and painters. Health is undoubtedly worse.

【survey】

Working without hidden dangers

The reporter visited the Yantan furniture market several times and exchanged ideas with several decoration workers nearby. According to Jiang, a decoration worker from Jiangsu told reporters that together they have ** a fellow villagers are engaged in decoration, regardless of who took the job, they are all tied together. “Each member of us, whether it is doing woodworking or painting walls and paintings, can take everything!” However, in the eyes of ginger masters, the decoration industry is not only woodworking but also other painters. It is self-taught.

When it comes to whether or not to take relevant protective measures in the renovation work, almost all respondents shook their heads and said never. "If the odor from paint and other materials is too much for us to accept during the renovation, we will stand in front of the window or go out and breathe. After a while, we will continue to work on it!" said several decorators.

From this, it can be seen that renovation work is a highly risky industry. Whether it is engaged in long-term or staged operations, its harm to human health is unavoidable. It was learned through multiple visits to reporters that in Lanzhou, painters of some regular decoration companies basically operate in accordance with the industry standard process, and the general health problems will not be great. However, more street decoration “guerrillas” such as ginger masters are basically fellow villagers “self-taught talents”. They have not received any formal training, lack the knowledge of occupational safety and health, and do not understand self-protection, resulting in homework. There are many security risks. In particular, some migrant workers who have just come out of the countryside have a weaker sense of self-protection and are more likely to cause poisoning.

【problem】

Health protection regulations are not easy to implement

According to relevant persons from the Provincial Interior Decoration Association, there are currently around 100,000 decoration workers in the province, of which there are 67,000 people in Lanzhou. From the situation they have learned, most of these decoration workers come from the countryside, there is no fixed unit, and they are mostly street decoration workers. At present, the work function of the Decoration Association has not yet involved the health protection of the decoration personnel. They have not organized any training related to it.

The reporter learned from the health supervision department that the relevant laws and regulations of the state have regulations on the occupational protection of painters. For example, the Occupational Disease Prevention Act and the Regulations on the Use of Toxic Substances in the Workplace Protection Regulations clearly stipulate that painters should be provided with the necessary protective equipment, such as gas masks and gloves, as well as occupational health examinations for painters. If the enterprise or unit does not provide occupational protection according to law, the health administrative department may warn them, require rectification, and even penalties.

However, decoration painters must have labor contracts with labor units if they want to obtain protection of laws and regulations. More decoration painters belong to the “guerrillas” on the road, not only because of their large liquidity, difficult statistics, but also no contracts. Under such circumstances, their occupational disease protection can only rely on their own attention.

According to relevant experts from the Second University of Dalian and the Second City Hospital, in general, if the decoration is carried out in accordance with the standard industry standards, the chance of occupational diseases of painters can be reduced. The most effective way to prevent paint poisoning is to maintain good ventilation conditions. In addition, painters should try to avoid skin and solvent, paint and other toxic and harmful substances, such as wear overalls, wearing protective gloves, masks and protective glasses.

Paints contain a large amount of volatile chemicals, including various solvents, resins, and glues. According to inspections by relevant departments, there are at least 15 chemical poisons in each wood product enterprise, up to a maximum of 31. The excessive occurrence of chemical poisons in the wood products industry is widespread. The problem of excessively high levels of four highly toxic substances such as benzene, formaldehyde, aniline and diisocyanate is particularly serious.

In the wood products industry, the enterprises with benzene exceeding the standard accounted for 89.0% of the total number of wood products enterprises, exceeding the maximum of 121.5 times; the enterprises with formaldehyde exceeding the standard accounted for 76.9% of the total number of wood products enterprises, exceeding the highest limit of 116.0 times; the enterprises exceeding the aniline accounted for the total wood products. 70.0% of the total number of companies, the highest exceeded 130.1 times; diphenyl isocyanate exceeded the company's total number of wood products enterprises accounted for 77.3%, the highest exceeded 3.1 times.

These highly toxic substances have great harm to the human body. They cause damage to the body's nervous system, respiratory system, and hematopoietic system through the respiratory tract, skin, and even cause serious poisoning or death.

The low concentration of benzene exposed by painters for a long period of time may cause chronic poisoning, damage the nervous system, hematopoietic system, and even affect the growth and development of the next generation. A large number of medical examinations confirmed that painters have a higher probability of developing lung cancer and bladder cancer.

In general, if the company paints in accordance with the standard industry standards, it can reduce the chance of occupational diseases of painters. However, if companies ignore the health of painters and do not take reasonable and effective preventive measures, then occupational diseases will become the norm for painters. In particular, painters hired by some non-standard enterprises are often migrant workers who have just come out of rural areas. They have not received any formal training, lack of awareness of safety protection, and are more likely to cause poisoning. Where do companies need to start?

In the work of treating high toxic substances, wood product manufacturers must seize the three steps of painting, gluing, and painting. In particular, the governance of paint spraying is even more critical. In the process of governance, what aspects of the company should increase?

One: Improve the working environment. Relevant laws and regulations stipulate that in workplaces with occupational disease hazards, mechanical ventilation facilities must be installed to reduce the concentration of benzene compounds in the air, so that the hazards of toxic substances can be controlled below the national health standards. Therefore, wood products companies that have coating operations must set up separate paint booths and must not mix with other processes. The spray booth must use the combination of upper and lower air outlets and positive and negative pressure ventilation to ensure that the air is fresh and unobstructed; Water curtains (water curtains) must be used to reduce the toxicity and discharge water detoxification measures to ensure the timely discharge of poisons between spray paint; spray booths should be set within the washing facilities, wall and floor paint dirt must be regularly cleaned.

The second: Equipped with protective equipment for employees. The enterprise must provide protective clothing that meets the requirements of the “Regulations for the Selection of Protective Equipment for Labor Protection” (GB11651) and “Selection, Use, and Maintenance of Respiratory Protective Products” (GB/T18664) for personnel engaged in painting, rubberizing, and painting. Gloves and gas masks, and urge them to wear properly. Workers should wear gas masks when operating. In special circumstances, workers must use air masks. Enterprises should reform their production methods and processes to improve the level of mechanization and try to keep workers away from contact with harmful gases.

The third: regular health examination. The enterprise shall conduct at least one occupational health examination for workers who are in contact with highly toxic substances, and organize the personnel engaged in painting work according to law to conduct pre-post, post-entry and post-occupation occupational health examinations. At the same time, it is necessary to do a good job in labor, work injury insurance, and environmental protection in accordance with legal requirements.

The painter’s safety awareness needs to be improved. Occupational disease prevention experts pointed out that painters should learn the knowledge of occupational hazard protection and understand the legal knowledge of safeguarding their own rights and interests.

The most effective way to prevent paint poisoning is to maintain good ventilation conditions and reduce the concentration of toxic substances in the air. If the ventilation conditions on the painting site are not good, after painting for a period of time, painters should rest in ventilated places for a certain period of time. In addition, paint workers should try to avoid skin and solvent, paint and other toxic and hazardous substances. For this reason, painters should consciously take necessary labor protection measures when painting, such as wearing work clothes, anti-virus gloves, masks, and protective glasses, etc., to avoid direct contact of the paint with the skin and to prevent harmful gases from directly entering the respiratory system. After painting is completed, painters shall promptly clean tools and residual materials, seal paint buckets and solvent drums, wipe the wire of paint, and dispose of industrial waste such as waste cloths in time.

Painters should avoid washing their hands with toxic solvents (such as Lysol containing high levels of benzene), do not eat at the construction site, wash hands, wash their faces, and change overalls before or after work.

At the same time, corporate management agencies, industry associations, and occupational safety and health regulatory agencies must strengthen occupational safety and health management in the industry to maintain the health rights of painters.

Painter operation precautions:

1. It is forbidden to store flammable materials, etc. on the job site of painters. There must also be fire appliances. Welding and all open flame operations are not allowed.

2. When spraying paint or brushing paint, do not step on the unpainted components to avoid slipping.

3. Ladders and springboards used at work must be solid and must have non-skid measures. Otherwise, they must not be used.

4. When the paint is condensing, it must not be roasted.

5. When two people work on the same work piece, they should cooperate with each other to prevent collisions.

6. When you are working above the ground above 3 meters and painting the outside of the sash above the second floor, you should wear a safety belt and place the safety rope in a safe and secure place. Paints and brushes for trachea, roof trusses, roof panels, etc. shall be suspended. Indoor ceiling height of 4.5 meters above the ceiling paint brush, should take full hall shelves. It is forbidden to install a springboard on radiators or equipment pipelines and fittings. When operating in places where vehicle pedestrians pass by, temporary objects, warning signs or guardians shall be placed nearby.

7. When using toxic paints, ventilate well and use the necessary protective equipment. When brushing anti-rust paint or volatile oil in the container or closed trench, rotate the work and take ventilation measures.

8. Paint raw materials and thinners shall be properly kept and managed by special personnel and fire prevention shall be observed. The oil yarn must be placed in the barrel and must not be littered.

9. During the rotation of the machine, brush painting and painting work are not allowed.

10. When painting the paint, it must be avoided that the paint drips on the scaffolding. If there is oil droplets, it must be wiped and dry with dry ash to avoid slipping and hurting people.

11. When dealing with waste acid waste, or using flammable materials such as used kerosene, gasoline, turpentine, and lacquer, it must be performed by experienced workers.

12. When the volatile oil wax is applied to the melt, the volatile solvent must be extinguished first to reduce the temperature of the melting agent and not to reach the boiling point.

13. Pot paint must not exceed three-quarters of the capacity. Do not get water in the pot. After the lacquer work is over, the remaining fire under the pan should be extinguished.

14. At the end of the work, the cleanliness of the scene and individuals should be cleaned and the hand must be washed before the meal, and the Vaseline parts should be completely washed.

15. The work of climbing must comply with the work safety regulations.