CLEAN HANDS
What do sprayers do about getting the powder off their hands?
Q. What do sprayers do about getting the powder off their hands? OSHA says we shall not use compressed air to blow ourselves off, and if we use gloves we get a bad static shock.
Any tips on what others do? M.M.
A. Compressed air is useful for blowing powder off of clothing and other surfaces, but is generally not recommended for blowing powder from the skin. The pressure from the compressed air can blow smaller particles of powder into the pores of the skin and cause irritation. Powder on the skin should be washed off with soap and water.
You can use gloves if you prefer, but you need to use a glove made for the purpose. There are gloves available that are designed to be conductive for electrostatic application. You can also wear a glove if the operator has a ground cuff attached to the wrist, but that can make it awkward for movement during the spraying operation.
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