Draelon t1_j9vpfc5 wrote on February 24, 2023 at 10:08 PM

Read the manufacturers instructions for the printer and resin used. If it says exhaust ventilation or other controls are required, ensure your employer is aware that is an OSHA reportable hazard. No further threatening required. If they fix it, great. If they get air sampling done (usually costs more than the actual basic ventilation for something like that) to show you’re under the exposure limit, great piece of mind. If they do nothing… well…. You already explained an employee could make a complaint so you decide.

Draelon t1_j9vva1f wrote on February 24, 2023 at 10:48 PM

Semi-off topic, but funny timing: Wife just got home complaining the plant she worked at just had a huge activated charcoal spill while doing some routine maintenace and she had to help clean it up, haha.

Chounchin_ol_Scownch t1_j9w4z22 wrote on February 24, 2023 at 11:57 PM

I hope she had all the proper PPE. Lots of fine particulates I would imagine.

Draelon t1_j9wieh5 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:38 AM

Hilariously, she's the plant safety manager, and knowing her, I assume she wore whatever PPE is required by the SDS and annoyed everyone by making them to do the same. ;p

energeticentity t1_j9wecxe wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:07 AM

>ware that is an OSHA reportable hazard. No further threatening required. If they fix it, great. If they get air sampling done (usually costs more than the actual basic

what about FDM printer using ASA filament? Is that comparably dangerous? I was wondering in my job, they told me not to worry about it but I still am.

Draelon t1_j9wi8pm wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:37 AM

BLUF: If manufacturer's instructions or chemical SDS, regarding a chemical, are not followed, it's likely an OSHA finding.

Edit: Most people throw away instruction books (or ignore them) and manufacturer's instructions and the books that come to the consumer are generally required to be followed or they have to pay for an IH technician/certified IH to come in and verify there isn't an overexposure. If you follow those, without a survey, it is very unlikely to be an issue (because they are generally extremely conservative).

That said, In my time doing IH surveys, I didn't actually survey one of those specifically, but based on the description above, if there's a smell that bad, it's likely a high VOC exposure and depending on the VOC can be regulated. At a minimum, it's a nuisance exposure and may not be regulated but OSHA would likely still recommend control or depending on the actual chemical, it could even be something as bad an expanded standard chemical.