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Gloves for the Job: Hand and Skin Safety
Photos courtesy of Lab Safety Supply and THREESIXZERO Photography
By Eric L. Reuscher, Lab Safety Supply
 When you think about protecting your lungs from exposure to spray polyurethane foam chemicals, you probably first think of a respirator. That’s really only the first step. You also need full dermal, or skin, protection. Skin exposure to SPF chemicals can damage your respiratory system the same way that inhalation exposure can.
This article takes a look at the proper hand protection that should be used during the set-up, spraying, and clean-up of a typical spray foam application. It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that his or her employees are aware of hazards and to provide the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). This includes hand protection.
The Right Glove for the Job
In my research, I viewed a video clip of an individual spraying the interior of a new construction home. What I observed was a worker protecting himself from the inhalation hazard by wearing a respirator, but limited care was taken to protect himself from skin exposure. As he sprayed his short runs between the wall studs, he would press—by hand—the spray foam back between the studs. He was wearing a pair of partially dipped, nitrile knit gloves.
You may think, “Well, he is wearing nitrile.” Partially dipped nitrile gloves do not provide full protection—the back of his hands and wrist areas were still exposed to the chemical. A fully coated, chemically resistant glove should be used as a protective barrier for the hands and wrists. For full protection, gloves should be fully coated with:
• nitrile
• butyl
• PVC or
• neoprene
Gloves should be a minimum of 6-8 mil thick.
 PEL/TLV
The hazards of spray foam’s A- and B-side chemicals are primarily caused by the presence of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI. The primary hazards from MDI are the inhalation of vapors and skin exposure, which can cause damage and sensitization of the respiratory system.
The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) as a ceiling is 0.02 mg/m3. The ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) has been set at 0.005 mg/m3 as a time weighted average (TWA). This TWA is the maximum concentration to which a worker can be exposed for an eight-hour day, 40 hours a week, without any harm. The ceiling limit is an exposure limit that should never be exceeded.
These numbers are important, because at normal room temperature, MDI can be forming vapor concentrations from an open container that can exceed the ceiling limit.
Do you know the concentrations when you spray the material in a closed environment? If you can smell Parts A and B, you have already exceeded the ceiling PEL.
Know the Dangers of A- and B-Sides
The major hazards of A- and B-sides are in the table below. If you become sensitized to MDI, one or all of the following symptoms may occur every time you are exposed to MDI. It is much like an allergic reaction. Eventually, you may develop the more serious diisocyanate asthma or alveolitis.
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The symptoms of overexposure to spray foam’s A- and B-side chemicals
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A-side
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B-side
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Tightness of the chest
Labored breathing
Headache
Nausea
Running nose
Coughing and/or wheezing
Soreness of the mucous membranes
Irritate mucous membranes, nose, lungs, throat
Tightness in chest, shortness of breath
Respiratory tract sensitization (development of asthma)
Painful tearing/swelling of the eyes
Discoloration of the skin
Redness of the skin
Swelling and blistering of the skin
Dermatitis (rash)
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Many of the same symptoms are also associated with Part B. Others include:
Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
The “halo effect” — the blurring of vision and a bluish haze or “halo” forming around bright objects.
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Skin exposure to MDI can cause the worker’s lungs to become sensitized. What does this mean for you? This means that even if you are wearing a supplied-air system to protect your lungs, if you are not wearing proper gloves and full-body skin protection, you are still exposing yourself to the damaging chemicals.
Familiarize yourself with the conditions listed in the table so you can recognize the signs if you ever become exposed to MDI.
Working With the Drums and Equipment
Remember, skin exposure to the A- and B-sides can contribute to respiratory sensitivity. This includes the moving of the drums and all actions that bring you into contact with A- and B-side chemicals. For drum handling, you may need to use a fully coated industrial nitrile glove. This glove will give you the abrasion protection you need when moving the drum while providing protection from any A- and/or B-side chemical residual that may be on the outside of the container.
When you move to machine, hose, and gun set-up, you might find that you need more dexterity in handling the spray equipment. In that case, it may be more practical for you to change to a disposable nitrile glove—it will give your hands more freedom to move and work with small parts and will still protect you from any residual A- or B-side chemicals that could be on the machine, hose, and gun.
Spray Foam Application
During the application, the sprayer should wear a fabric glove fully coated with nitrile, butyl, PVC, or neoprene. This type of glove will protect your hands from exposure to the spray foam mist and from any drops of foam that may land on you while working.
Also consider how you are going to protect yourself from injury when you are cutting or trimming cured foam. The worker should select a cut-resistant, fully coated nitrile glove to avoid a rip or tear, and cuts to the hands. This type of glove will also protect your skin from exposure to spray foam chemicals.
Clean-Up
At the end of the day, it is not uncommon to be ready to remove your protective apparel prior to final clean up. This is not a good decision. As you and your fellow employees begin to clean up the area, you will most likely handle semi-cured A and B chemicals that are left on your coveralls, hoses, guns, and tools. If you have removed your hand, body, and respiratory protection before clean up, you may be increasing your sensitivity to the chemicals. During clean up, you have the easiest PPE choice—wear cut-resistant, fully coated nitrile gloves and coveralls until just before you leave the site. During gun cleaning, it is best to wear disposable nitrile exam gloves of 6-8 mil thickness.
Keep Yourself Informed
The spray foam insulation industry offers a great product that will only get better in its effectiveness, ease of application, usefulness to building design, and energy efficiency. However, it has inherent hazards during its application, and those hazards need to be respected. During my investigation for this article, I observed many videos with employees and employers being unconcerned about the PPE and hand/skin protection they were using. It is in the best interest of the worker to choose a glove that will offer the best protection for the duration of the job. If you are uncertain about the appropriate gloves or PPE necessary, read the manufacturer’s material safety data sheet (MSDS). The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance and the Center for the Polyurethanes Institute provide PPE guidance accessible online at www.sprayfoam.org and at www.spraypolyurethane.org.
Eric Reuscher attended Illinois State University where he received a BS in Science (Biology) and a BS in Environmental Health. He spent seven years as an environmental consultant in and around Chicago and as an emergency response technician for Region 5 of the EPA. Over the past six years, he has been a sales lead and technical product support specialist for the safety product line of Lab Safety and W.W. Grainger. He has received accreditations for Asbestos and Lead Building Inspector, 40 hour HAZWOPER, and OSHA 30-hour General Industry Safety and Health. He can be reached at Eric.Reuscher@grainger.com.
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