Epoxy and Two-Part Paint Safety: How to Avoid Becoming Allergic

Look at sections on hazards, first aid, exposure controls and personal protection. Note the glove material, the respirator type and whether the product is a skin or respiratory sensitizer. Words like "may cause an allergic skin reaction" or "may cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled" mean exactly what they say.

WEST SYSTEM's first step for preventing overexposure is picking the least hazardous product. For a DIY topside job, a one-part paint avoids isocyanates altogether (see topsides-painting). Pre-measured pumps and small kits mean less handling and fewer spills.

Cover the bench and floor with plastic sheeting. Have paper towels, a scraper, a trash bag, your skin cleanser and soap within reach. Set up a fan to move fresh air through the space. Inside a boat (cabin, bilge, locker), vapors build up fast even with low-VOC epoxy, so ventilation matters more there, not less.

Wear disposable chemical-resistant gloves whenever you touch resin, hardener, mixed epoxy, activator or sanding dust. Disposable nitrile gloves are the common choice; WEST SYSTEM's Epoxyworks also suggests neoprene for good chemical and puncture resistance. Use the material the SDS lists. Thin vinyl or fabric work gloves don't keep resin out.

Change gloves when torn or heavily smeared, and take them off inside out so you don't touch the outside. With dirty gloves, don't touch door handles, light switches, your phone or your face: WEST SYSTEM points out you'll touch those again later bare-handed.

Long sleeves, disposable sleeves or a disposable coverall keep resin off your wrists and forearms, where gloves end and rashes often start. Epoxyworks notes epoxy can soak through clothing to the skin. If you spill on your clothes, change right away. Barrier creams can add some protection but don't replace gloves.

Wear safety glasses or splash goggles when mixing, pouring, rolling or sanding. Hardeners are corrosive, and a splash from a stir stick is very common.

If you get epoxy on your skin, remove it quickly:

• Resin or mixed epoxy: wipe off what you can with a paper towel, then use a waterless skin cleanser (it's not water-soluble), then wash with soap and warm water.
• Hardener and sanding dust: wash with soap and warm water.
• Never use acetone, lacquer thinner, paint thinner or alcohol on your skin. WEST SYSTEM says never use solvents on skin: they dissolve the epoxy and help carry it into your skin. Epoxyworks makes the same point about vinegar: it can drive epoxy deeper and raise the chance of an allergic reaction, so don't make it a habit.

Wash your hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking, and at the end of the day.

For epoxy mixing and spreading, WEST SYSTEM's minimum is good ventilation. If you can't ventilate a confined space well, it says to wear an air-purifying respirator with an organic vapor (or multi-contaminant) cartridge. Heat makes it worse: warm epoxy and hot curing pots give off more vapor.

For two-part (isocyanate) paints, follow the paint's SDS exactly, use the respirator it calls for, and keep people and pets away. Isocyanates can be harmful at levels you can't smell. Interlux says its two-part topside paint is dangerous when sprayed and needs specialized breathing equipment, so it recommends a professional for spraying. Spraying belongs in a pro's booth with supplied-air equipment, not in your driveway.

Sanding dust from partially cured epoxy still has unreacted chemicals in it. WEST SYSTEM says breathing it raises your risk of sensitization and recommends waiting at least overnight before sanding, longer in cool weather; full cure can take two weeks or more at room temperature. When sanding:

• Use a dust mask or respirator rated N95 or better (or what the SDS calls for), plus eye protection.
• Use a sander with dust extraction or a shop vacuum when you can.
• Wear sleeves and gloves: dust on sweaty skin can cause dermatitis too.
• Clean up with a vacuum, not by blowing dust around with compressed air.

For antifouling bottom paint dust, which has its own hazards, see bottom-paint-antifouling.

Mixed epoxy in a cup heats itself as it cures, and a big mass can get hot enough to smoke, give off fumes or start a fire. Mix only what you can use within the working time. If a pot starts to overheat, carefully move it outside, away from people and anything that burns, and leave it until it's fully cured and cool.

Scrape up spills, then wipe with paper towels. For a bigger spill, WEST SYSTEM says to contain it with sand, clay or another inert absorbent, and never to soak up hardener with sawdust or other fine wood or paper material. Clean tools (not skin) with the solvent the maker recommends, outdoors, away from flames. WEST SYSTEM warns not to throw hardener into trash with sawdust or other fine paper or wood material: it can spontaneously combust. Let leftover mixed epoxy cure fully before disposal. Unused liquid resin, hardener, activator and solvents go to your local household hazardous waste program, not down a drain.

Skin signs: redness, itching, rash, swelling or blisters, often on hands, wrists, forearms, face and eyelids. Breathing signs: cough, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or a runny nose and "cold" that comes back every time you work with the product. If symptoms appear:

• Stop using the product. WEST SYSTEM advises resuming only after symptoms clear, and with better protection.
• See a doctor, ideally one familiar with work-related allergies, and bring the SDS. NIOSH's list of warning signs for isocyanates includes symptoms people often brush off: eye irritation, a stuffy nose, a dry or sore throat and "cold-like" symptoms that keep coming back.
• If symptoms keep coming back, stop working with that product and hire out jobs that involve it.