Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

I found to my cost that I had developed an allergy or intolerance to brake and clutch cleaner some years ago. My eyes would partially close, my vision became blurred as well as a rash on my face and hands. Lesson learned, I simply avoided the stuff.

However, a young man in his early forties has the deserved reputation as one of the finest paint sprayers in the area. He lives some thirty miles from me.
He painted cars on weekends in his own workshop but his main job was as a commercial vehicle painter on Merseyside and used to take lodgings from a Monday to Friday lunchtime.

VW Beetles are, I believe, one of most difficult cars to paint properly and so are Morris Minors and I have seen the evidence of his skill on these and other cars. I had asked him to repaint my Mark 2 but I would have to wait my turn - six to nine months ahead. It won't happen now.

One Monday at work last autumn at his employer's premises he noticed an angry weal on his wrist. By lunchtime the weal had spread to his whole underarm, his employer took notice and took him directly to hospital.
The assessment doctor in A&E was alarmed at what he saw and referred him immediately to one of the resident dermatologists. He was kept in hospital because a rash had broken out on his face and his hands as well.

After a two day stay at the hospital following blood tests, consultations with a haemotologist and other specialists it was concluded that he had developed an intolerance to paint chemicals and hardeners in particular. He cannot come into direct contact with any isocyanate, alkaloid or even the current water based paint materials again and the list will probably include household paint as well.

An unfortunate and premature closing to a special skill but a reminder that we all expose ourselves to potentially harmful materials during the coutse of our hobby.

Can any of you tell of your similar experiences?
_________________
Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[BigJohn]

I had a friend who was a apprentice trained auto electrician, when in his 30's he found the skin peeling off his hands when working on cars and discovered he had extremely bad dermatitis. Even wearing barrier creams or various types of gloves would not stop it. He stopped working in the motor trade, took up landscape gardening and it cleared up.
Annoying for me as I didn't need any gardening, but he always sorted out my wiring faster than I could!

[Ray White]

This is quite a big deal for me because I suffer an allergic reaction to Diesel fuel if I come into contact with it. I just feel sick if I breath in the exhaust fumes but I can become quite ill if I breath in the fumes from the neat fuel. This has meant I cannot drive a diesel vehicle like a tractor or a Transit van.

I once worked as a delivery driver for a firm of printers. I had a 190 (LWB) 2 litre petrol Transit - one with the coupled rear wheels - which was due to be replaced. When the boss said he was getting a Diesel version because it was a lot more economical I told him I would have to resign. Kindly, I was supplied with a new petrol Transit which was a delight.

[victor 101]

I could never understand why they thought cellulose was dangerous but replaced it with isocyanate.
And on a slightly different tack, when I was working on vehicle recovery we were instructed to wear gloves when recovering burnt out vehicles as some rubber components became highly toxic when exposed to high temperatures. Any direct contact made could result in amputation of affected area.