Camouflage? Infra red?

[Lauren Child]

You will no doubt be aware that IRR paint is far more dangerous than any of the old lead based paints we are frequently warned about, both during application by brush or gun and during any subsequent rubbing down it is full of nightmare nasties.

Regards TED

 

 

Ted,

 

Would you have any advice for folks like us who may be stripping the paint off to restore vehicles now that they have been retired from active duty?

 

Thanks,

Lauren

[ted angus]

Lauren, When rubbing down the dust is the problem, respiratory protection is the number one. A decent mask with a disposable cartridge. Not a throw away type. You would need to speak to a local dealer in Personal Protective equipment. You need protection from dust that is extremely carcinogenic ( for the non technical) cancer producing.

Wear goggles that seal NOT safety glasses and a one piece hooded overall , rubber gloves that come over the cuffs of the overalls. wear rubber or other high leg boots, have the botton of the trouser legs over the boots and wrap duck tape or masking tape around the bottom to seal.

This all seems very much over the top but I am telling you how we dealt with it in the RAF . I was the signature on the Hazard data sheets and process data sheets, COSHH assessments etc raised for each task There is also Enviro issues We had filters in the paintshops drains to remove the nasties, which included cadmuim , chromate and others, some coming from the paint and some from the parent metal. Never use a heat gun or flame to burn it off the fumes are lethal .

 

During a restoration I would rather pay more money for normal Matt green that pay a lesser price for some government surplus IRR stuff !!

When applying IRR it is even more dangerous than stripping, we wore full face remote fed breathing appuratus, plus the hooded overall, boots and gloves. after working remove the overall with care, make sure your hands, lower arms, face neck etc is thoroughly washed. Allow 30 between finishing work and eating, drinking or smoking. Again that will seem OTT but its what the good book directed us to do. Obviously applying by brush is far less hazardous but a cartridge mask should still be used even outdoors. Hope this is of use

TED

[Bazz]

Reading the previous re the PPE needed fo using IRR paint makes me wonder about any possible health probs to us old sweats that worked wirth the stuff wearing nowt but shorts and berets.

[ted angus]

Buzz, Yes I wonder too Buzz, If we were co- located with the Army or had a unit nearby obviously we sometimes got involved in the odd help project A Landi for Royal Escort a field Gun for a display. The Army lads could never understand how safety conscious we were. Its best summed up that we were all techies of one type or another and Betty Winsor spent lots of pennies training us. So Once The H & S regs came in there was no more ducking and diving for us, we had been trained and as a SNCO or WO it wasn't just the health of your lads it was your pension that was also at risk and in the extreme a prison sentence. There was no way we could plead ignorance. It reached the point in the RAF where only Painter & Finisher Tradesmen NCOs could demand paint from the supply system. There is no longer stocks in the depots. Your demand has to be approved by the relevant budget dept at Andover, Brampton etc and then a contract is raised . I can tell you first hand The Treasury Solicitors who handle claims against the MoD re H & S claims by veterans are exceptionally busy and quite rightly so; because before we were squarely regulated by the H&S regs and before Crown Immunity was repealed We were forced to get the job done and shut up !!

TED

[Lauren Child]

Thanks for the advice Ted. We've got a couple of FV432's coming in for respray, so I'm going to mention this to make sure we get the appropriate gear.

 

-Lauren