Gary A. Shaw Box 4520, Milton FL 32572
Safety Comes First
CyA Glue Precautions
In my May 1999 and August 1999 columns, I wrote about the precautions one should take when using cyanoacrylate (CyA) glues and described a few ills that could potentially develop if they're used haphazardly. The mail I received after the publication of the May issue (the mailbox filled up) revealed many modelers who had apparently experienced ill effects during the use of CyA.
Most said that they had experienced one type of health effect or another, and some indicated that they followed label warnings—well, most of the time. Common symptoms ranged from upper-respiratory involvement to less-common problems. Reported symptoms included:
- Watery eyes, runny nose, headache
- Difficulty breathing
- Grover's disease
- Severe allergic reaction
- Heart problems
Providing a description of heart troubles encountered while using CyA and accelerator is a letter from a Midwest modeler who asked to remain anonymous:
"I have been using CyA since the early 1980s. Last year, I had an experience when I was building an Old-Timer stick fuselage, using accelerator, for approximately two hours. That evening, I awoke from sleep with an abnormal heart rhythm. I underwent all of the in-depth cardiac tests; there was not any underlying reason for disease. I had to have an electrocardioversion (electric shock) to correct and put the heart back into normal sinus rhythm.
"Three weeks ago I was working on a Fokker D.VII — the first time with CyA and accelerator since last year. That evening, I awoke with atrial fibrillation again. I will once more have to undergo an electrocardioversion. The cardiologist has done extensive testing and I have absolutely no cardiovascular disease; in fact, I typically jogged about three to four miles every other day before this.
"'Coincidence?' I have been asking this to several people in the area that build with CyA and accelerator. I found out that the same thing happened to an employee of a hobby shop here about nine years ago. Apparently he had been building for a five-hour stretch, working on the display counter while customers watched his building progress. That evening, he was at home watching TV and his heart went into a chaotic rhythm. He had to have an ambulance take him to the hospital, where he was treated.
"'I have talked with another friend who gets tightness in the chest and can't breathe when he uses CyA. All of us have used CyA since our mid-twenties, and have not had problems until recently; I have a suspicion it is cumulative. I know the manufacturers say, "use with adequate ventilation," but they need to define what that is, and what reported side effects may result from this material's use, so that at least if we still elect to use this stuff we will know what is causing our negative physical responses.
"'I don't feel it should be banned or regulated; only that as adults, we need to know about and be vigilant for these potentially harmful side effects.'"
MSDS and Manufacturer Information
Answering our mystery modeler's question is a letter from Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA) Vice President Larry Barickman, Orlando, FL.
Larry responded to the May 1999 issue on CyA use and enclosed a number of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) he had obtained from several manufacturers of CyA products. Larry describes what an MSDS is all about:
"This may be of help to those that use CyA. Since CyA is used in an industrial environment, it falls under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. They (OSHA) require industrial manufacturers of most industrial chemicals to supply to users (employers and the general public), upon request, an MSDS. The employer must then make that information available to the employees. This is federal law. Those who want an MSDS should contact an industrial supplier or manufacturer like 3M™, Loctite™, Eastman Kodak™ or Duro™. I'm sure the sheets are very detailed and just about every possible hazard is mentioned. They also tell you what known health effects are, and what protective measures, and/or equipment to use.
"It is my understanding that all manufacturers of chemical products, not just those considered industrial, are required to provide safety information related to their products upon request.
"You should also know that there are at least two types of MSDS. One is to be provided to emergency response personnel (medical, police, and fire) for the purpose of knowing exactly what chemicals are present in an emergency (such as a large truck spill, train crash, etc.). The other MSDS is for general users. Unless you're one of the emergency types with a need to know, you'll get the consumer MSDS.
"In general, the only difference is that the emergency response version has chemical formulas (closely guarded by the manufacturer) and the consumer version doesn't. If you need an MSDS from any glue manufacturer, just call and request it."
Personal Protection Recommendations
Getting down to the brass tacks regarding recommendations of how to prevent exposure (acute or chronic) comes a letter from David Coles, Zeilwood, FL. Before I get into the meat of his letter, let me first point out the need to contact the manufacturer of the product you use for the most specific personal protection information. David writes:
"I have been using CyA glues for over twenty years. For a long time, I did not have any problems, even in poorly ventilated apartments. But about ten years ago, problems started with headaches, sinus and nasal congestion.
"I used paper face masks (Columnist's note: considered a respirator, but only for dust) and better ventilation, and that greatly helped for another five years. In reality, this was probably because of the better ventilation. I then went to the widely recommended painter's mask.
"Last year, I was at the point of giving up CyA, when my wife e-mailed 3M to get their suggestions. They explained that CyA gives off 'organic vapors,' which will not be stopped by even the very best painting respirators. They recommended the R-6211 dual-cartridge paint spray respirator with #6001 Organic Vapor Cartridges. Sherwin-Williams paint stores carry these units; the 3M 5010 prefilters added (plus a spare set) for greater protection. I last paid $36.95 for the complete unit (3M R6211) — no problems since.
"Another thing that I learned last year was the benefit of using cold aliphatic glue. Pica Glue sets up in minutes and is very strong, but must be kept from freezing. I got a small sample bottle that says on the label, 'use in a well ventilated area,' but strangely, this is not on the regular eight-ounce bottle label.
"Another related subject is that I have been involved in competitive shooting since I was a 'preteenager' — rifle, pistol, trap, skeet, etc. It was not until I got into RC that I found out that many of my fellow shooters were also into RC. Prior shooters use cast bullets by the gazillion."
David goes on to recall a tragic case from the early 1960s: a pistol-shooting friend who cast lead bullets by an open window without adequate exhaust. The lead in his body poisoned his brain, and he died after months of suffering. His family also suffered.
David closes with a plea for better warnings: "I suspect that we all, at one time or another, fail to protect ourselves. I hope that Model Aviation can find a way to convince kitmakers to start their building instructions with an easily read warning to be very careful when using CyA. Most importantly, I hope that Model Aviation can find a way to convince kitmakers why it would be unrealistic to expect CyA manufacturers to do more on their labels which are, at best, difficult to read due to bottle size, and easy to ignore since 'any fool knows how to glue.'"
Recommendations and practical steps summarized from the letters:
- Contact the manufacturer for the MSDS for the product you use.
- Understand there are two MSDS types: emergency-response (contains formulas) and consumer (general information).
- Improve ventilation whenever using CyA.
- Use appropriate personal protective equipment:
- Paper dust masks only protect against dust, not organic vapors.
- Painter's masks are insufficient for CyA vapors.
- Consider a dual-cartridge respirator (e.g., 3M R-6211) with #6001 Organic Vapor Cartridges and 3M 5010 prefilters.
- Consider using cold aliphatic glues (e.g., Pica Glue) where appropriate.
- Hobby shops should consider keeping consumer MSDSs and sources for protective gear available.
Final Thoughts
There is no better way to ensure minimal exposure to chemicals than by knowing what they can do to you when they come in contact with your body. Ask for, and use, the information you read in the MSDS.
Keep in mind that all chemicals have some effect on the body—some insignificant, some serious. How you react to chemical exposure will be determined by your immune system and the toxicity of the substance you've inhaled, absorbed, or ingested.
Always protect yourself. Perhaps hobby shops should keep a supply of consumer MSDSs on hand for distribution, as well as sources for personal protective gear.
Food for thought.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
