A Bathtub Refinisher Dies from Methylene Chloride Exposure While Removing Paint from a Bathtub

Details

• Personal Author:
  Harrison, Robert ; Scholz, Peter ; Styles, Laura
• Corporate Authors:
  California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program (CA/FACE) ; California. Department of Public Health. Occupational Health Branch
• Description:
  A bathtub refinisher, working alone in a small apartment bathroom, died of methylene chloride exposure while using the chemical to remove paint from a bathtub. The bathroom had a small, open window but no mechanical ventilation. The victim was not wearing any respiratory protection. The victim was the sole employee of a company that specialized in refinishing bathtubs and sinks. The California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (CA/FACE) Program concluded that bathtub refinishing contractors should take the following steps to prevent similar incidents and recommends: 1. Use a safer paint removal product such those containing benzyl alcohol, dimethylglutarate, or dimethyl adipate. Avoid using products that contain methylene chloride or n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP). 2. If a methylene chloride-containing paint remover is used, it should only be done in a well-ventilated bathroom, using an airline respirator and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or Silvershield gloves.
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Accidents, Occupational Confined Spaces Hazardous Substances Mortality Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Personal Protective Equipment Race Factors Respiratory Protective Devices Safety Staff Development Ventilation

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• Keywords:
  Accident Analysis Accident Prevention Chemical Hazards Chemicals Chemical Safety Confined Spaces Employee Exposure Fatalities Gloves Hazard Labels Hazard Recognition Indoor Environments Injuries Injury Prevention Language Barrier Methylene Chloride OSHA Region 9 Paint Removers Paints Racial Factors Recommendations Respirators Respiratory Protection Respiratory Protective Equipment Safety Practices Training Traumatic Injuries Warning Signs

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• FACE - NIOSH and State:
  FACE ; Hispanic ; Foreign Born Workers ; Prevention through Design (PtD)
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Subseries:
  State
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHSFACE17CA002
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052948
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2018-101648
• Citation:
  Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 17CA002, 2018 Mar ; :1-7
• CAS Registry Number:
  Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  California Department of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  2005/07/01
• End Date:
  2026/06/30
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6bfee9f747b77ea1faae1b4257e4a88752a1adcb4548ad1dd1c7f3737416d08bb575c4d12755f10a0b2ecf02ccf07167a33a92c768cec797eabf508067dd5342
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/164973/cdc_164973_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 251.07 KB ]