ny surface preparationmethod involves hazards.Some techniques, such ashand or power tool clean-ing, waterjetting and abra-

sive blasting, present both physical andchemical hazards. Chemical stripping isone surface preparation technique withhazards related mostly to the chemicalsinvolved, not to the physical hazards.

The hazards result from either theactive ingredients in the chemical strip-per itself or the material beingremoved. This Applicator TrainingBulletin will examine the hazards associ-ated with chemical stripping and themeasures used to protect workers.

It cannot be overly stressed thatchemical stripper formulations are pro-prietary. They may contain a mixture ofmaterials. Always check the safety datasheet (SDS) for any chemical strippingproduct used, and protect workersaccordingly.

Stripper TypesThere are different generic types ofchemical strippers on the market,including caustics, solvent-based and

paintsquare.com / JPCL December 2014 25

Applicator TrainingBulletin

Safe Use of Chemical Strippers

waterborne macro-emulsions.Caustics are based on chemicalssuch as sodium, calcium or magne-sium hydroxides. Solvent-based strip-pers contain solvents such as methyl-ene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone(MEK), toluene, N-methylpyrrolidone(NMP) or dibasic ester (DBE). Themacro-emulsions contain hydroxycar-boxylic acid peroxide. Each of thesechemicals presents its own healthhazards.

Health HazardsStripper formulations will contain only apercentage of the active ingredient, butthe health hazards are the same. Thedifference is that with the fully formulat-ed stripper, exposure will be to lowerconcentrations. The health hazardshave been updated with new informa-tion from the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA).

CausticsCaustic materials such as sodium, cal-cium and magnesium hydroxides arecorrosive. Sodium hydroxide, alsoknown as lye or caustic soda, is found

Editor’s Note: This Applicator Training Bulletin was originally written byLloyd Smith, Ph.D., then of Corrosion Control Consultants and Labs, Inc.,and was published in the August 2002 JPCL. It has been updated for thisissue by the JPCL staff.

A

in products such as household draincleaners. Caustics are highly alkaline.They will attack most body tissuesincluding the skin, eyes and respiratorysystem.

Contact with the skin will cause burnsand, frequently, deep ulcerations result-ing in scars if the caustic is at high con-centration and left on the skin. Contactwith the eyes will cause irritation. Withgreater exposures, caustics can causeburns that may result in permanentvision damage or even blindness.

Breathing caustic fumes can cause arange of problems from mild irritationto serious damage of the upper respira-tory tract. The type and degree of dam-age depend on the severity of expo-sure. Symptoms may include sneezing,sore throat or runny nose.

Worker protection is essential when using chemical strippers to remove coatings. Photos courtesy of Dumond Chemicals, Inc.

26 JPCL December 2014 / paintsquare.com

Applicator Training Bulletin

could bring the Agency closer to tight-ening regulations.

Highly volatile solvents in strippers suchas toluene and MEK can irritate the skin,nose, eyes and throat. Toluene can causean unusual skin sensation that feels likepins and needles. Headache, fatigue anddrowsiness are common symptoms ofinhaling too much of this vapor.

NMP, a high-boiling solvent, is quicklyabsorbed though the skin and is capa-ble of transporting other dissolved tox-ins into the body. The EPA rates it asignificant hazard, and users shouldtake measures to reduce exposure.DBE may aggravate blurry visioncaused by a pre-existing eye disease.

These are health hazards of justsome of the materials that are used insolvent-containing formulations. Consultthe SDS for the specific hazards of thematerial being used. Also, rememberthat solvents are flammable materials.Do not smoke or use these materialsaround open flames or non-explosion-proof electrical devices.

First aid for exposure to solvent-based strippers is to move the personto fresh air if they have been inhalingthe stripper. If it gets on the body, flushthe skin with plenty of soap and waterfor at least 15 minutes and removecontaminated clothing. Use only waterfor flushing if the stripper gets in theeyes. If ingested, do not induce vomit-ing. Give large quantities of water if theperson is conscious and not vomiting.Get medical attention fast.

The strippers based on hydroxycar-boxylic acid peroxide are reported tobe non-toxic, with very little in the wayof adverse health effects.

Macro-EmulsionsThe active ingredient in macro-emulsionstrippers has no known health effects.

centrate in organs such as the brain,liver and kidneys. Breathing solventfumes can irritate the nose, throat andlung passages. The solvent can then beabsorbed into the body through thelungs. The stripper may give off solventvapors that are irritating to the eyes.

Methylene chloride, or sometimescalled dichloromethane (DCM), is a veryeffective paint stripper but also pre-sents a significant health hazard. It issuspected of causing cancer inhumans, so its use is banned in manyplaces. It is quite volatile and easilyinhaled. It has a strong narcotic effectwith symptoms of light-headedness,fatigue, nausea and headache.

Methylene chloride causes carbonmonoxide to form in the blood, whichaffects the performance of the heartand the lungs. Prolonged, high expo-sures can cause liver and kidney dam-age. In 2012, the CaliforniaDepartment of Public Health’sOccupational Health Branch issued analert warning of the risks of using DCMafter two workers were killed by toxicsolvent vapors inside of a tank. TheEPA has also recently carried out riskassessments on these chemicals, andthe results of the final assessments

Caustics are highly toxic if swal-lowed. They can cause severe burns ofthe mouth, throat and stomach. Severescarring can occur, and death mayresult. Symptoms include bleeding,vomiting, diarrhea or a drop in bloodpressure. The damage may not appearuntil days after exposure.

Caustics can be recognized by theirslippery feel. Soap, for example, ismildly caustic and mildly slippery.Caustics must be removed from theskin or eyes immediately. First aid treat-ment consists of flushing with water forat least 15 minutes. Do not inducevomiting if swallowed, but give largequantities of water or milk. If you givefirst aid to someone burned by caus-tics, always get the victim to a physi-cian for further treatment.

Solvent-Based StrippersThe health hazards of solvent-basedstrippers are associated with the sol-vents in the formulation. Solvents candry out the skin, causing irritation,burns, cracking, fissures or ulcers.They remove protective oils from theskin, increasing the risk of infection.Solvents absorbed through the skin getinto the bloodstream where they con-

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28 JPCL December 2014 / paintsquare.com

explosive limit (LEL) and upper explo-sive limit (UEL). The UEL is the lowestconcentration that will support combus-tion if a spark or heat source is pre-sent. The LEL is the maximum concen-tration that will support combustion,i.e., the air is too rich in fuel (deficientin oxygen) to burn. All solvent vaporsare heavier than air, so concentrationswill build up at the lowest level in thework area.

Personal Protective EquipmentAlways consult the SDS before using achemical stripper to determine theproper personal protective equipment(PPE). The discussion above containedgeneral information on the health haz-ards of the major generic types ofchemical strippers, but a stripper for-mulation may include a combination ofmaterials (i.e., both caustics and sol-vents).

The PPE needed will include protec-tion for the skin, hands, head, face,eyes, feet and, possibly, lungs. It isimportant that the stripper does notcome in contact with the body.Protective coveralls and face protec-

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Applicator Training Bulletin

But, even though the stripper formula-tion is waterborne, it does containsome organic solvents. Exposure tothese solvents can result in irritation tothe eyes, skin, gastrointestinal tractand respiratory system. Organic sol-vents can also be absorbed into thebody like the other solvents mentionedabove.

Exposure and Explosion HazardOne should always protect the skin andeyes when using chemical strippers.But is respiratory protection alwaysneeded? This question is not easilyanswered, as it depends upon workconditions. SDSs will contain informa-tion on the personal exposure limit(PEL), threshold limit value (TLV) andshort-term exposure limit (STEL) forthe constituents in the stripper. ThePEL is the maximum allowable expo-sure to airborne constituents in strip-pers based on a worker’s exposureduring an eight-hour workday. The TLVrepresents the maximum allowableconcentration of an airborne substancethat will have no adverse health effectsfor nearly all workers who are exposed

daily (eight hours) for a normal workweek (i.e., 40 hours). PELs and TLVsprotect a worker from long-term, low-level exposures known as chronicexposures. Some chemicals presenthealth hazards if a worker is exposedto a larger dose in a short-term expo-sure. This is referred to as an acuteexposure. If the chemical constituenthas such health effects, the SDS willgive the STEL, which is the maximumconcentration to which workers maybe exposed continuously for a shortperiod of time — usually 15 minutes.

Exposures to airborne chemicals aregreatly affected by site conditions whenusing chemical strippers. The onlymethod to determine a worker’s expo-sure is by performing personal air mon-itoring. A worker’s exposure will beaffected by such factors as local condi-tions, i.e., wind, their position in relationto the work, and the actual methodsbeing used to apply the stripper (sprayvs. brush/roller/trowel) or remove thestripper (dry vs. wet methods).

Another concern is fire and explo-sions. This is limited to solvent-basedstrippers. The SDS will list the lower

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tion should be worn. Preferably, theyshould be impervious to the chemicalsin the stripper. Cotton coveralls may besufficient, provided they are removedand replaced if they become soiledfrom the stripper. Protective creamsshould also be used on exposed skin.

Hands must be protected with chemi-cal-resistant gloves. For caustic strip-pers, gloves made of natural rubber,neoprene, Buna-N (a nitrile elastomer)and butyl rubber provide the best pro-tection. The best gloves for solvent-based strippers depend on the solventor solvent mixture. Butyl rubber ornitrile rubber gloves are the types mostoften recommended. A glove supplier isthe best source of information for prop-er glove selection once the activeingredients in the stripper are known.

Eye protection is very important.Chemical goggles, face shields or safe-ty glasses with side shields must beworn.

The need for respiratory protectiondepends on job conditions. Causticstrippers generally do not require respi-ratory protection because the activechemical is not easily vaporized. But ifthe stripper is being sprayed on thesurface, it may be possible to breathein the tiny droplets of stripper. A partic-ulate filter should be used on cartridge-type respirators. Solvent-based strip-pers present more of a respiratory haz-ard, especially when working in spaceswith limited air flow. Strippers madefrom lower-boiling solvents should beapplied with a respirator whether theproject is indoors or outdoors. A sol-vent-vapor filter should be used on car-tridge-type respirators.

PPE should also be worn whenremoving the stripper. Compared to therespiratory risk when applying the strip-per, the risk is diminished during itsremoval. This is because some of the

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solvents will evaporate while the strip-per is working on the surface and willbe dispersed in the air. When workingoutdoors, the wind will blow away thesolvents, but they may still be presentin the work area when using the strip-per in contained spaces such asindoors or inside tanks.

Always follow good hygiene practiceswhen using chemical strippers, duringapplication and removal. Wash yourhands and face before eating, drinkingor smoking.

Related Hazards When UsingChemical StrippersThe stripper material may not be theonly hazard associated with the use ofchemical strippers. A worker may alsobe exposed to other hazardous materi-als in the paint being removed. Themost common exposure is lead fromlead-containing paints. It happens dur-ing stripper removal and not stripperapplication. Workers must be properlymonitored to determine their exposureduring the removal.

In addition to the lead content andthe condition of the paint, the actualremoval method will also influenceworker exposure. Wet methods andvacuum methods will keep down dust,thus lowering exposure, but an inges-tion hazard will still exist if good per-sonal hygiene practices are not fol-lowed and any of the removed paintand stripper are on the worker.

Environmental ExposureThe active ingredients in chemical strip-pers can also present environmentalhazards. Caustic strippers are highlyalkaline. The stripper itself and thewaste debris may be classified as acorrosive material. Solvent-based strip-pers generally do not contain specificconstituents that are regulated under

hazardous waste regulations, but it maybe an ignitable material. Solvents canget into the ground water if the stripperor debris comes in contact with theground. The debris and waste fromusing any type of chemical strippermust be contained and collected forproper disposal.

Constituents in the debris may alsorequire special waste handling. Forexample, lead can become mobile if itis removed with caustic strippers. Leadis soluble in alkalis, so removing lead-based paints may result in the debrisbeing classified as a hazardous waste.Lead waste from solvent-based strip-pers may also be classified as haz-ardous. In the U.S., the contractor isresponsible for determining the waste’sstatus. If it is hazardous, the contractormust follow U.S. regulations for han-

dling and disposal of the waste. Alwaystest and dispose of wastes from chemi-cal stripping in accordance with applic-able regulations.

SummaryThe safe use of chemical strippers isneeded to protect workers, the publicand the environment. Chemical strip-pers may present a health hazard toworkers using them. Wear proper per-sonal protective equipment to keep thematerial off of your skin and out of youreyes. Formulations with toxic solventswill also require respiratory protection.The constituents in chemical strippersor the debris from using them also canbe environmental hazards. Contain, col-lect and dispose of the debris in accor-dance with applicable regulations.

JPCL

Applicator Training Bulletin