Ladder
Safety
Here are some useful tips about ladders that
apply to both interior and exterior use:
· Inspect ladders before use. Make sure that the
rungs are intact and free
of dirt and paint buildup that could interfere with
footing.
·
When extending or retracting an extension ladder, hold the
pulley rope
firmly; if the rope is released, the upper section
could drop on your
fingers, arms or feet.
· Follow the "four contact" rule: When
using an extension ladder, make
sure that the tops of both rails make solid contact
with walls, and that
both legs make solid contact with the floor or ground.
· Never stand higher than the third-highest rung
on a ladder. Make sure
that the ladder reaches at least three feet higher
than the highest level
you need to stand.
· Place foam protectors or wads of cloth on the tops
of extension ladders,
to prevent them from sliding and to protect the walls.
· On a stepladder, make sure the spreader bar is
fully extended and locked
in place.
· With a straight or extension ladder, make sure
that the base is one foot
away from the wall for every three feet of height.
· Make sure your pockets are empty of knives, scissors
or other pointed
tools before climbing any ladder.
· When on the ladder, keep your hips between the
rails for good balance.
· Do not push or pull too hard on a scraper or other
tool while balanced on
the ladder.
· Always wear rubber-soled or another type of non-slip
shoe on a ladder.
Special
Guidelines for Outdoor Ladder Use
·
Avoid working in wet or windy weather, and do not climb a wet
ladder.
· Keep all ladders away from power lines -- especially
metal ladders.
· Make sure that the ground under the ladder is secure
-- place plywood
under the legs to ensure solid footing.
· A ladder can be additionally secured by tying it to
a sturdy portion of the
house or to a large eyebolt in the wall or fascia board.
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Power
Washers
Power
washers, power sanders, spray painting equipment and the like
can be a painter's best friend -- but only when they're used
properly, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
SPRAYERS
and WASHERS work on the principle of pressure -- extremely high
pressure (up to 3,000 psi) -- through a tiny vent. As a result,
this equipment can be hazardous to both health and home when
used incorrectly or at very close range. Never point any power
equipment at any person or animal. And be sure the equipment
is out of the reach of children at all times.
Wearing
the proper clothing when using power sprayers is also important.
Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and gloves will help protect
against accidentally injecting paint under your skin, should
you unintentionally hit the trigger while the nozzle is near
you.
Also,
take care not to damage the building when using a power washer.
If the pressure setting is too high, or if the nozzle is too
close to the surface, the water can literally bore into wood
siding, break windows, sliding doors or other glass.
Power
tools should never be plugged into a power source unless you
are sure that the trigger is in the "OFF" position.
Also, never use power equipment in the rain as an electrical
short could result.
Do's
and Don'ts When Power Washing
DO
wear proper eye and hand protection when operating the equipment.
DO
attach nozzles and/or accessories before turning on the water.
DO
keep hands and feet clear of the cleaning nozzle at all times.
DO
let the machine run for several minutes before starting to power-wash.
DO
consider using a special cleaning agent if the surface shows
heavy mildew growth.
DO follow the equipment manufacturer's directions
with respect to distance between the spray head and the surface
-- typically 6" to 10", although this varies with
the p.s.i and spray width settings. (Moving too close may harm
the surface; staying too far away may be ineffective.)
DO
work from the top of the wall to the bottom, rather than vice
versa. Otherwise, dirt and mildew will run down over the already-cleaned
section.
DO
direct the water at a downward arc when cleaning wood substrates.
Spraying wood head-on can damage the siding.
DO
power-wash the surface thoroughly. Paint adheres best to surfaces
that are totally clean.
DO
turn off water at the source to release pressure BEFORE disconnecting
hoses.
DO
set the safety lock when the equipment is not in use.
DON'T
fill the fuel tank while the engine is running.
DON'T
leave the nozzle in a closed position for more than a minute
or two while the equipment is running. The pump may overheat.
DON'T
try to repair a leak in the hose or connection while the system
is under pressure.
DON'T
aim the power-washer at an upward angle when cleaning lap siding.
This can drive water behind the siding. Also, the force of the
water can lift the siding from the wall.
DON'T
spray stucco, brick or masonry walls straight on. The force
of the spray can cause water to penetrate cracks in the walls
and cause damage within.
DON'T
aim the spray at windows or glass doors. The force is strong
enough to shatter them.
Solvent
Safety
When
spraying oil-based paint or any other solvent-based coating,
make sure all sources of flame are extinguished, including cigarettes
and pilot lights.
Be
sure to wear rubber gloves and work in a well-ventilated area
when using any solvent-based product, such as oil-based paint,
paint thinner, liquid sandpaper, de-glosser, or paint remover.
Also, avoid mixing any of these products together&emdash;toxic
fumes may result.
Rags
and sandpaper used to clean up solvents should be spread out
to dry, then placed in a fireproof container. If left wet in
a pile, they could spontaneously combust and cause a fire.
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Dealing with Lead in
Paint
WARNING:
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE PAINT
IF YOU SUSPECT IT CONTAINS LEAD.
This can cause an extreme health hazard. Lead paint was
common until 1950, but was not outlawed in the U.S.A. until
1978. If you think you may have lead paint, contact the
EPA hotline for information: 1-800-424-LEAD or
visit http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/leadinfo.htm
If
you suspect the presence of old paint containing lead, do not
sand the area. Contact a local Environmental Protection Agency
office or health department for instructions on how to proceed.
(Lead paint is most likely to be found in buildings that are
more than 25 years old.
Sources of Lead Paint: Lead carbonate was used prior to World
War II. A white powder, it was used as a primary white pigment
in oil-based paints. During the 1940's and early `50s, "white
lead" was replaced by titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is
more efficient in providing whiteness and hiding. In the early
1970s, the use of lead compounds began to be phased out. In
1978, legislation eliminated them altogether. All interior and
exterior house paints and primers are now made without lead.
Some buildings, especially those built before this legislation
was enacted, may contain lead paint. These paints present potential
health hazards, especially for infants, small children and pregnant
women.
A
booklet entitled "Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling
Your Home" (Publication No. EPA 747-R-94-002) has been
produced by the Environmental Protection Agency ). It provides
information concerning:
testing
for the presence of lead paint;
steps to take to minimize exposure to lead where lead-containing
paint may be present removal and in-place management of lead-containing
paint.
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Personal
Protective Equipment
Painting
isn't an inherently dangerous activity, but it always pays to
follow good safety practices. Carelessness is the quickest way
to get into trouble when doing any project, and painting is
no exception.
Personal
Protective Equipment: Good painting practice dictates that the
skin, eyes, and lungs be protected at all times. This can be
accomplished by purchasing GLOVES, SAFETY GOGGLES and a DUST
MASK or RESPIRATOR.
FABRIC
OR LEATHER WORK GLOVES are necessary when scraping, wire-brushing,
sanding and patching. Wear them at all times when working around
splintered wood.
RUBBER
GLOVES should be worn when working with bleach solution, paint
thinners and removers and any type of acid. Also wear them when
cleaning painting equipment using paint thinner or mineral spirits.
(NOTE:
Be sure that the gloves are the kind of rubber that will not
be softened when exposed to lacquer thinners or other harsh
chemicals.)
EYE
PROTECTION is recommended when wire-brushing, scraping, sanding
or painting overhead. SAFETY GOGGLES are a must when handling
acids, bleach or other chemicals.
It
is also a good idea to wear a DUST MASK when sanding. And, if
you are doing any painting with a sprayer, wear a MIST FILTER
plus an ORGANIC VAPOR RESPIRATOR to avoid breathing paint spray
into your lungs.
Finally,
wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing when doing any type
of painting.
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Mini
Safety Posters
Here
are four mini posters about painting safety that you can
use as counter pieces, handouts, or wall pieces.
Ladder
Safety
Safety
with Solvents
Safety
with Lead in Paints
General
Painting Safety
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Clean
Up/Storage
Brushes
and Rollers
Latex
Paint -The best practice is to clean your brushes and rollers
after each use. If you have used latex paint, rinse your brush
or roller under warm running water with a little dish washing
detergent until all the paint is out of the brush Be sure all
the soap is also rinsed out. Press excess water out of bristles
or nap with a rag.
After cleaning, wrap brushes in original package or aluminum
foil. Stand rollers on end to dry.
Tip
-If you’re stopping your latex paint project for only
a few hours, wrapping the brush or roller in aluminum foil and
placing in the refrigerator will allow you to resume painting
without the cleaning process.
Oil
or Alkyd Paints - Pour appropriate solvent into two small cans.
This should be the solvent recommended on the paint can or mineral
spirits if that information isn’t not provided. Dip the
brush into the first container, pressing down on the bristles
until most of the paint is removed from the brush. Dip into
second container to clean out remaining paint. Remove excess
solvent from bristles using a rag.
After
cleaning, wrap brushes in original package or aluminum foil.
Stand rollers on end to dry.
Tip
-Be sure to dispose of these rags and any leftover solvent in
the proper way. See Disposal of Solvents.
Storing Leftover Paint
1.
Clean out the groove or "chime" of the container.
Make sure that the rim of the lid is clean, too.
2. Cover the opening of the can with plastic wrap
3. Close the lid tightly, tapping with a hammer
Oil
based or alkyd paints have more of a tendency to ‘skin’
during storage. Follow the procedure about. An extra measure
would be to VERY tightly close the lid and turn the paint can
upside down. The paint will help seal the can.
A
few tips for storing paint:
1.
Paint a swatch of the paint on the label of the can so you know
exactly what color you have.
2. Write date and which room was painted with permanent marker
on the lid.
3. Don’t store your paint in sunlight or next to a heat
source
4. Don’t let paints freeze.
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Disposal
Latex
Paints – Since latex paint is not hazardous, it can be
solidified and put out for regular refuse collection. It is
important to solidify latex paint to avoid environmental or
water contamination problems.
Solidifying
Latex Paint:
1.
Remove container lid(s) and place open container (s) in a safe
well ventilated area away from children and pets.
2. Depending on amount of paint, this can take up to several
days for liquids to evaporate.
If you have a large amount of paint to dispose of, pour liquid
paint into a container with kitty litter or another absorbent
material like sawdust. When paint is ‘dry’, it may
be disposed of in regular trash.
3. Replace lids and dispose of in regular trash
Disposing
Solvent Paints
Oil based or alkyd paints and solvents, including mineral spirits
are considered hazardous waste materials. Precautions and steps
must be taken for proper disposal.
Never
dispose of liquid oil based paints or solvents in regular trash
or pour them down the drain. Most communities have special hazardous
waste collection for liquid paint. Check your local regulations
to ensure proper handling.
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