Do I work in a toxic environment?

April 17, 2008 8:04 PM

How unsafe is it to work in a warehouse filled with hundred + year old stuffed exhibits (buffalo, cougars, birds, snakes, etc.) It contains the archives of a natural history museum. One of the scientists there told me that, although they would like to get rid of some of these old specimens, no one would want them as they were taxidermed the old fashioned way with mercury and formaldehyde, etc. They, also, have a bar of radium from Madame Curie but its on a different floor. I've inquired as to how its packaged but I'd be surprised if its done properly in a lead box. I just read an article that made a connection with working around formaldehyde and ALS - my most feared disease. I only work (volunteer) there 2 days a week but am I in any danger doing so? Thanks
posted by Tullyogallaghan to health & fitness (9 comments total)

I would guess that the specimens have long since finished the bulk of their outgassing of formaldehyde, but I have nothing to back that up.
posted by ian1977 at 8:16 PM on April 17, 2008

Unless you're making out with these taxidermied animals, you should be ok.

The problem, I think, is disposing of these things. Because they have non-negligable amounts of mercury and formaldehyde there are all kings of regulations and costs in garbaging these things (and the perception that mercury and formaldehyde are terrible terrible things).

The mercury is unlikely to volatilize, unless the samples are drying, flaking, and getting aerosolized. The formaldehyde is probably completely reacted with the proteins in the samples or have already volatilized away in the many intervening years.

I work with (para)formaldehyde everyday - I just make a point not to huff it or wash my hands with it. Disposal of the stuff (properly), though, is costly.
posted by porpoise at 8:23 PM on April 17, 2008

Since Radium is a gas, it's unlikely they have a bar of it.
posted by unSane at 8:42 PM on April 17, 2008

Oops, I was thinking of Radon. Sorry, scratch that.
posted by unSane at 8:43 PM on April 17, 2008

Radium is a solid at standard temperature and pressure.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 8:46 PM on April 17, 2008

About the bar of radium from Madame Curie. It will probably not be packaged in anything you consider 'safe' however it is perfectly fine. It emits alphas particles which are for the most part entirely harmless to you(your dead skin cells will absorb the radiation before it penetrates into the rest of your body) as long as you don't eat it or figure out a way to get it into your body such as breathing in radioactive gas.

Radium is nasty however if you do get it in your body since your body treats it as calcium and places the radioactive substance in your bones so don't touch it. Also radium releases Radon gas(another alpha emitter) so if you ever do see it please don't put your head into the container the bar is in and breath in deeply(since again you don't want alpha emitter inside your body).
posted by metex at 8:55 PM on April 17, 2008

In addition to mercury and formaldehyde, a lot of animal artifacts were historically treated with arsenic and some harsh pesticides. Obviously do not touch any of the animal artifacts with an ungloved hand. I recommend latex or nitrile gloves as opposed to cotton. If you are moving stuff around or processing any artifacts, you may want to wear a dust mask and a lab coat in case particles of anything get disturbed. Wash your hands a lot.
posted by pluckysparrow at 9:53 PM on April 17, 2008

Most likely, the archives has practices which prevent you from actually touching the object including, but not limited to, wearing non-latex gloves. As long as you practice good artifact handling, you and the object will be safe. That includes not touching your clothes or face while handling objects, wearing protective gear such as a mask or coat when necessary, and washing your hands afterwards. If your curators are at all like those at my work, they will shit a brick if you even mention touching an artifact with your bare hands, never mind actually doing it, and they will be aware of any danger an artifact presents to you.
posted by Foam Pants at 12:24 AM on April 18, 2008

This is impossible to answer without testing. Anyone answering otherwise is guessing. If they do have a radioactive source, they MUST at least have an agency come by every year and licence it (that's a world-wide convention, so it will apply anywhere). If stuff is only minimally radioactive there are exemptions, but the limits are very low.

Does your facility have an industrial hygenist/health and safety/OSH person on staff? They should. Is there an OSH/JOSH/safety committee at your workplace? There should be. They should know the answers to your questions. It's probable that someone has assessed the risks in the collection, but that their conclusions are not widely known. Ask around. you may need to find the right person to get the asnwers you are looking for.

The comments by your coworkers about disposal trigger this for me. Someone knows about the exhibits you have and knows how expensive it would be to dispose of them. Disposing of mixed media with multiple hazards is quite expensive indeed. That doesn't mean they aren't safe to handle in their present form, with precautions, it does mean that letting those pollutantins into the water table is a really bad idea.

So what can you do? Ask about to find your OSHA rep (assuming you're American). Try to get answers to your questions. They may not have all of them, in which case you can raise a stink about it.

Secondly, take protective measures seriously. As mentioned above, gloves and handwashing are important. If handling suspect samples, always wash your hands before eating or visiting the toilet. Keep shoes at work, for work only. If breathing or eye protection is provided, use it. Many, many industrial exposures happen because workers don't use protective equipment properly.

In short, you can do a lot to improve your confidence in your workplace safety and in your actual safety, but it takes being involved and asking a lot of bothersome questions of the right people. It also means you have to exercise due care yourself, when working.
posted by bonehead at 8:24 AM on April 18, 2008