Michael P. Edison wrote:

> The objective we formulators face is to keep dropping VOC content, which in
> many areas is regulated by law.

Regulated by state law? Working in the tri-state NY/NJ/CT area I am aware that
VOC compliance varies from state to state - but for the most part the suppliers
worry about it before it gets to the customers. I have heard about how a 55
gallon drum of a particular material is illegal in NY but legal in NJ. Several
years ago we had serious problems with paints and sealants due to VOC compliant
reformulations. One cast iron facade we painted we came very close to having to
remove the paint, and on another project the caulking was flowing out of the
joints.

While on the topic of chemical compliance, what are your thoughts, as a
manufacturer, on the effect of MSDS?

I'm in support of MSDS, but am frustrated that the mechanics are usually
frightened by chemistry. I end up with mechanics who will not work with a
particular material not because there is anything significantly wrong with it,
in comparison to everything else they handle, but because someone took the time
to walk them through the details of the MSDS sheet for the one material. We
make all the sheets available, but we are not always able to provide refresher
courses in HS level chemistry, which is something mechanics seem to need. I
took the RESTORE class out of curiosity and to encourage our then operations
supervisor to attend the class. Whenever Norm Weiss started talking chemistry I
got interested and our supervisor fell asleep. This was rough on our supervisor
as I like to sit in the front row. His behaviour was identical to what happens
to people who are afraid of flying who nod out just as the plane takes off or
lands. Once the chemistry talk was over our supervisor would wake up again. The
person who gave the heavy message on health was an attractive female and used
few chemistry words and scared the begeesus out of the guy, reinforcing his
innate fears. I cannot begin to fully explain the havock that was created by
his chemical phobia... other than to say that it did not help with the
composite patching tussle. We were forced to go through an incredible amount of
politics and psychological questioning whenever we opened a can of anything
smelly.

The attitude lingers. We recently had to experiment with a special-order
masonry cleaning potion that involved 3 components. The instructions said that
when mixed the stuff is highly flammable. But not when unmixed. When we
finished the first phase of cleaning tests the materials were brought back to
the shop. The quart can of Part C, identified as the offending material, was
quickly sent off to the supplier's warehouse where it was subsequently lost. We
kept the twenty gallons of the other components, which makes no sense as they
are uslesss without Part C. I'm certain Part C was no more flammable alone than
a corn biscuit. We were then asked to do another phase of cleaning tests. We
called the supplier, we visited the supplier, we visted the supplier in
parallel teams, we called the manufacturer, we took turns begging, we went to
the supplier's barbicue where we stood in the hot sun drinking soda and eating
chicken and placed a large order for sealants and after a month of beffudliment
we were finally able to get another can of Part C. The supplier's problem,
besides wanting the large sealant order, was he wanted to know why we wanted to
blow up his warehouse and not our own.

I'm fairly certain I understand why all the semi-retired contractors I meet
tend to ramble.
--
][<en Follett
SOS Gab & Eti -- http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/5836