Just a quick question that's been concerning me somewhat. I've been working as a part time KP for a around a year now, constantly exposing my skin to Cif Cream and other scary bleaches for cleaning up. I recently read that many of these cleaning agents may be quite potentially carcinogenic. After having a little search around and checking the bottles for any warnings I've found nothing, but I'm really un-convinced. I really should start using gloves, but I find them restrictive and irritating. But I guess no hands could be worse... Maybe I'm just being hyper paranoid. Thanks chums
I doubt that any of them are strongly carcinogenic, but chronic skin exposure to chemicals like that isn't ideal. Buy a few packs of latex/nitrile gloves - they're thin and shouldn't impede your movement.
Risk assessment produced by Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products for Hypochlorite Neither Cif cream nor bleach are carcinogenic, however bleach is a strong oxidising agent. Judging fom the ingredients of cif cream, it is mostly an abrasive (Calcium carbonate). 5-10% NaClO (hypochlorite, bleach) is classed as an irritant. >10% NaClO is classed as corrosive. At the concentrations you're likely to be dealing with, latex/nitrile gloves have a breakthrough time of at least 8 hours, a pair of marigolds would be even longer. Breakthrough time being the time taken for the bleach to fully penetrate the material. Simply put, if you're using bleach or other abrasive detergents the recommendation is to wear protective clothing (gloves) to avoid (reversible) irritation. Since latex/nitrile gloves offer adequate protection with little to no restriction, I suggest you use them.
kp = kitchen porter ..right? i was a kp then waiter and also used alot of wacky industrial hotel cleaning products for about a year and a half. i never wore gloves and didnt really notice any effects. but, i would take uncle_fungus's advice, espeically if you have sensitive skin.
If you're really worried about it here's the COSHH sheet for Cif cream http://www.greenham.com/datasheets/508364.pdf Your employer should have a copy of COSHH for any chemicals you use on site, I know I get enough phone-calls for COSHH data at work from our customers NB I work for Greenham's parent company.
