Letter 39070

I live in a warehouse with a zinc plating co. [Canada] 

January 18, 2006

I live in a warehouse with a zinc plating co. and was wondering if the fumes can be a hazard to my health.
I seem to be getting a sore throat a lot latley and was wondering if it could be comming from the fumes a couple of doors away.

Mike Leslie
carpenter - Delta, British Columbia

Anyhing is possible, Mike, including the idea that fumes from that shop are giving you a sore throat. Plating shops use not only zinc plating solutions but acids and alkalis that fume. The fumes should be properly ventilated and scrubbed, and you should barely be able to detect any order from the place.

On the other hand, people work right there all day every day without being sickly. It is difficult to guess, but perhaps your local health department has exposure monitoring equipment that could rule this in or out.

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ

I want to answer or follow-up on this subject publicly (in non-commercial fashion).

 

My company is a supporting advertiser at finishing.com and we want the contact information to reach the inquirer privately.

 

I want to post a new question or inquiry of my own on a different subject.