Spray painters

Productive cough and shortness of breath developed in a spray painter 12-18 months... 

Cockcroft DW, Mink JT Isocyanate-induced asthma in an automobile spray painter. J Can Med Assoc 121 602-604, 1979... 

A 50-year-old spray painter developed severe asthma soon after the introduction of a new paint containing IPDI. A bronchial challenge test with the paint gave a positive response. 

In another case, a spray painter developed tightness of the chest and dyspnea shortly after using a paint containing IPDI. The symptoms disappeared after a few days off work but recurred shortly after resumption of work. 

Mallov JS. 1976. MBK neuropathy among spray painters. J Am Med Assoc 235 1455-1457. 

Seguin P, Allard A, Cartier A, et al. 1987. Prevalence of occupational asthma in spray painters exposed to several types of isoeyanates, including polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate. J Occup Med 29(4) 340-344. 

Even short-term exposure to low levels of mixtures of lipophiles and hydrophiles can produce adverse neurological effects. Printers and spray painters so exposed to mixtures primarily containing //-hexane (3.90) and isopropanol (0.05) were found to have neurological symptoms, including polyneuropathy and diminished ankle reflexes. 16 ... 

An epidemiologic investigation of car and industrial spray painters in Sweden showed that these individuals were always exposed to mixtures of solvents, often to 8-10 different chemicals at the same time and always to mixtures of lipophiles and hydrophiles. The chemicals detected in the workers breathing zones included... 

Triebig G, Barocka A, Erbguth R, et al. Neurotoxicity of solvent mixtures in spray painters II. Neurologic, psychiatric, psychological and neuroradiologic findings. IntArch Occup Environ Health 1992 64(5) 361-72. 

Elofsson SA, Gamberale F, Hindmarsh T, et al. Exposure to organic solvents. A cross-sectional epidemiologic investigation on occupationally exposed car and industrial spray painters with special reference to the nervous system. Scand J Work Environ Health 1980 239-73. 

Ruijten MWMM, Hooisma J, Brons JT, et al Neurobehavioral effects of long-term exposure to xylene and mixed organic solvents in shipyard spray painters. Neurotoxicology 15 613-620, 1994... 

El Massioui F, Leserve N, Fournier L An event-related potential assessment of attention impairment after occupational exposure to organic solvents, in Evoked Potentials III The Third International Evoked Potentials Symposium. Edited by Barber C, Blum T. Boston, MA, Butterworths, 1987, pp 346-350 Elofsson S-A, Gamberale F, Hindmarsh T, et al Exposure to organic solvents a cross-sectional epidemiologic investigation on occupationally exposed car and industrial spray painters with special reference to the nervous system. Scand J Work Environ Health 6 239-273, 1980... 

Histological changes in the nasal mucosa of spray painters were also noted in a study of Hellquist et al. ... 

A case-control study of Guiguet et al. observed an increased risk for aplastic anaemia after exposure to paints (effective compounds in the paints are unknown), but no increased risk after exposure to solvents alone. Reduction of blood hemoglobin levels was shown after exposure to gasoline, car spray paint (xylene) and various solvents (house painters).An increased Hb level was noted, however, in a study of car and industrial spray painters. 

In some studies of spray painters in the automobile and airplane industries and of house painters mortality from liver cirrhosis was increased. Another study investigating house painters, however, did not show an increase. ... 

Carbon disulfide was the first solvent studied and had adverse effects observed by Delpech in 1863. Neuropsychiatric abnormalities were described 13 years later by Eulenberg in workers in the rubber and viscose rayon industries. A Finnish psychologist, Helen Hanninen tested 100 carbon disulfide exposed workers in 1970,50 were poisoned, 50 exposed and compared them to 50 unexposed.She found intelligence, tasks of attention, motor skill vigilance and memory were impaired in clinically poisoned and exposed men compared to unexposed. Digit symbol substitution from the Wechsler s scale showed the most effect of exposure. Additional studies of spray painters in the 1970 s and compared to computer augmented tomography (CT) scans of the brain and function tests. Symptomatic painters after 20 years or more of exposure had brain atrophy associated with impairment."" ... 

In Norway, we have about 3000 spray painters working in the oil industry. What percentage of these spray painters is allergic to epoxy we do not know yet. An estimate is 3-5%. 

Toluene Vapor Core makers (foundry operation), polyurethane foam makers and users, spray painters, ship welders... 

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