Re: [TheThinkTank] Is your shop OSHA Compliant?

3 Dec 2012

      A systematic neurotoxin is worth being clear about.  We live in an environment where there are dangerous proven toxins that should not be handled casually as well as a range of other substances in a broad spectrum of levels of toxicity.  The effects of some of them are better understood than others.  Further, some sources of information tend to consider everything benign unless proven otherwise and some sources seems to take the opposite approach.  There is a lot of ambiguity here.
Source citations would make the claim of toxicity much more useful.  Also, Tri-Flow is a compound with numerous ingredients all of which are unlikely to be equally toxic so it would probably be more accurate to state that one or more ingredients is a systematic neurotoxin.  Material Safety Data Sheets for Tri-Flow are online.
In the absence of some evidence that the warning is without grounds and was not offered with good intentions, however, the flippant and cutting tone of the quip about Google causing cancer seems out of place on this list.
Does anyone have detailed scientific information to share about Tri-Flow that they feel others should know before handling it?
Gwyndaf Jones
On Dec 3, 2012, at 2:05 PM, david bosch wrote:
...
Before everybody gets all bent out of shape about Tri-Flow being a "systemic neurotoxin", can anyone site scientific literature that backs up this claim?
I just did a check on Google Scholar any came up with nothing...Or does Google cause cancer as well and therefore is in on this conspiracy?
David
From: "christopher@holisticcycles.com" christopher@holisticcycles.com
To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org 
Sent: Monday, December 3, 2012 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Is your shop OSHA Compliant?
Triflow is also a systemic neurotoxin that wrecks both nervous system and brain. Really bad stuff
Christopher Wallace
Holistic Cycles
140 Harrison St
Oak Park, IL. 60304
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Is your shop OSHA Compliant?
From: Leslie Peteya lesliepeteya@gmail.com
Date: Mon, November 05, 2012 5:58 pm
To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org

Chemical-soaked rags are stored in metal fireproof containers
Chemicals are kept at least 4 feet high away from children
No smoking within 10 feet of the shop
Fluorescent lights and radiant heaters are caged to prevent them from being struck by bikes or random

flying parts (our back room is only 7 feet high)
5) Welding is done strictly outside the shop, no youth allowed. 
6) We have a fire extinguisher in the shop, and try to minimize clutter.
7) I keep a well stocked first aid box because people are always stabbing themselves with cable ends, chainrings,
tools, and the like. 
8) Encourage volunteers to get tetanus vaccinations and boosters.
9) Keep the shop stocked with nitrile gloves to prevent lubricants and penetrants from making skin contact-
TriFlow is particularly absorbent, and will cause capillaries to break in the hands. We switched to ChainJ for this reason. 
10) Water cooler and electrolyte mix, working inside or in the shade, and shorter shop hours during the summer
to prevent heatstroke and dehydration.
11) Possibly making our core volunteers take Basic First Aid and CPR, although we have enough first response people floating around the shop (on-duty cops, nurses, PAs, etc.) to be sufficient.
12) All electrical and water lines are marked- electrical lines are run down from the ceiling to prevent trip hazards.
13) Encourage closed toe shoes, goggles and masks if filing, sanding or otherwise running power tools.
That's about all I can think of for now.
-Leslie 
Durham Bike Co-op (NC)
On Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 6:52 PM, Rich Points director@communitycycles.org wrote:
Hey All,
I just went to a day long seminar on Human Resources where they spent some time talking about OSHA.  From what they said at the seminar OSHA can come in at any time and audit your shop.  Apparently if they find violations they can fine the shit out of you.  Here are some things I learned and remember this was 20mins of a day long seminar, there are week long classes on this stuff.  This is a very short list.
All chemicals and solvents should have warning labels on them clearly stating what's in them in multiple languages
You should not keep aspirin, ibuprofen, neosporin or any other pharmaceuticals that someone could potentially have a reaction to in your medicine cabinet
Exit signs should be on all doors.
There should be no trip hazards.
Your staff needs to go through trainings on such things as how to use a ladder.
This list is nowhere close to comprehensive but I'm going to be looking into this more in the coming weeks and months.  We've been around for almost seven years now never had a serious accident and I want to keep it that way.
What are you guys doing to keep your shops safe and maybe even OSHA compliant?
Ride On!
--
Rich Points
http://communitycycles.org
Executive Director
(c)303-589-0597
(w)720-565-6019
Community Cycles is Boulder's only bike shop dedicated to bike commuting.
Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommunityCycles

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