PPE: Why Does it Matter So Much?

We all know about PPE these days - 2020 was an education for pretty much everyone.

Uncured resin and hardener release VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) when they are mixed together. Some manufacturers claim low VOCs. That is perhaps a little disingenuous. Any exposure over time can lead to severe skin irritation, chemical burns, sensitization (allergic reactions), eye damage, and respiratory issues from inhaling fumes.

It is very important to protect your skin and lungs. Prolonged or repeated exposure to uncured epoxy resin can lead to long-term health issues. 

Even partly-cured resin can cause these problems. 'Soft cures' when dealing with resin refers to the resin not fully curing and being soft. This can be dented with a fingernail for example. Whilst seemingly cured, the resin is still off-gassing and is not good for your health!

So it is essential to:

• work in a well-ventilated area
  - we open windows and use a big fan to keep the airflow fresh. This is not always possible in Ottawa - in the winter we can see -25°C and no one wants to have the windows open when you really may not be able to close them again when you've finished.
  
  
• use other air cleaning products
  - we have a huge air filtration system I bought for my Glowforge a few years back. It has multiple filters and charcoal. We also have an air purifier which is on all the time, and on which we change the filters on a very regular basis.
  
  
• wear nitrile gloves
  - latex and vinyl gloves break down with contact with resin. Nitrile gloves are more resistant and protect your skin from sensitization, allergic reactions, and chemical burns. Wear them when you deal with soft cure projects too!
  
  
• use a good respirator
  - you need to protect yourself from minute vapours. Make sure you have a respirator that fits you well, and change the cartridges very regularly! There's no point in putting on a respirator with exhausted filters. Your lungs are essential to your health!
  
  
• put your tools and consumables used for resin in an airtight container
  - it's easy to finish your dice and then take off all of your PPE. However, the tools you used - silicone mixing cups, mats, stir sticks and so on - all still have uncured resin on them! So pick up an airtight container and dump all of that in there to cure before you clean off the resin!
  
  
• put your resin creations in an airtight container too!
  - if you have't got a pressure pot yet (this is an essential piece of equipment if you decide to embark on a dice making odyssey; not essential if you are just making a couple of sets), put your molds in a flat-bottomed airtight container for 24-72 hours, depending on what your brand of resin tells you is the full cure time.
  Do note that many give a cure time of 12-24 hours, but resin is often not fully cured for 72 hours.
  
  
• dispose of unused resin safely
  - many crafters, myself included, have a 'dump' mold. This is a mold that can be added to over time, like a coaster or a dish mold. Leftover resin can be poured into this and left to cure with the rest of your creations. This can lead to a fun creation made over several sessions!
  Otherwise, let it harden in the mixing cup, and then dispose of this resin safely in your garbage.
  Never pour liquid resin down a drain. It's toxic and bad and will harm things!

So, essentially, be careful, use PPE, and follow sensible safety guidelines. You will make fabulous dice and not hurt yourself in the process.

(The links above lead to amazon.ca 
We have no affiliate program for these items; they are just what we use.)