e e [Music] we've been using cement as the building block of Construction products for centuries to make mortar for Brick and block construction grout for filler in repair needs and to produce hundreds of millions of cubic yards of ready mixed concrete per year thousands of people deal with cement in one form or another every year without harm but there is a potential hazard in these products a hazard that can be prevented if you understand what it is and know how to protect yourself [Music] self so what is it that's potentially hazardous about cement cement is alkaline in nature and when combined with water becomes strongly basic strong bases like strong acids may be harmful or costic to the skin many wet cement products are also abrasive whether you work with concrete or mortar these products contain abrasive sand this sand can irritate and damage protective layers of the skin making it more susceptible to the harmful chemicals in wet cement cement also absorbs water from any material it touches this makes cement very drying to the [Music] skin what can wet cement do to your skin the reported hazards of wet cement are its costic abrasive and drying properties the injuries caused by these properties are often called cement Burns but wet cement doesn't actually burn the skin on contact like some strong acids do instead the lime water and alkaline chemicals in the wet paste penetrate the skin slowly initially causing little or no discomfort your skin can be exposed to these harmful chemicals for hours before you see or feel any skin damage the result can be a range of reactions from a mild irritation to a severe chemical burn any one of these reactions is called irritant dermatitis the term cement burn refers to the most severe cases if you've ever gotten dry red irritated skin after handling concrete you've actually suffered a mild reaction to the costic chemicals in it direct contact with concrete or mortar is a common way to get a reaction but the chemicals and wet cement can also get on your skin in ways that you may not realize rinsing your tools in the same bucket of wash water on the job site can cause dry irritated skin this water contains lime water from the mortar and although diluted may still cause a reaction if you work around cement dust you're also at risk for skin irritation once you come into contact with cement dust all it needs to become custic is moisture this reaction can start very easily with perspiration or even from moisture in damp shirt collars or cuffs mild irritations from exposure to concrete mortar rinse water or cement dust typically involve only the surface of the skin thoroughly washing the skin with cool clean water is usually enough to rid the chemicals from the surface and pre prevent further damage if the costic chemicals aren't promtly washed off they can penetrate deeper and cause more damage the result can be like a first deegree sunburn where the skin turns red and tender hours after exposure if the chemicals have had sufficient time to penetrate deeper layers your skin May blister and turn into open sores while these injuries heal with time they often leave some permanent scars you should always wear long pants a long- sleeve shirt rubber boots chemical resistant gloves and safety glasses to protect your skin and eyes from direct contact with concrete or mortar but the most severe cases of irritant dermatitis often involve workers who were wearing protective clothing how can this happen by allowing the wet paste to saturate or seep into protective clothing this is called indirect contact and can happen in many different ways concrete finishes wearing long pants have been severely burned on their knees and shins by kneeling directly on Fresh concrete the bleed water that soaked their pants had been in contact with the chemicals in cement and was still strong enough to burn in other cases workers have spilled concrete inside their boots even when the concrete was washed off the water that seeped through their socks was still strong enough to cause injury protective clothing should always be worn but when when the concrete or mortar spills or seeps inside the clothing no longer serves as a barrier but acts as a sponge that holds the costic water against the skin in many cases the chafing of wet clothing combined with the abrasive sand in the concrete causes the harmful chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin injuries from indirect contact can be very serious because they're often not felt or discovered until soaked clothing is removed hours later by by this time the costic chemicals have often damaged the full thickness of the skin leaving second and third degree burns skin removal and grafting may be required to replace the damaged areas these injuries typically result in hospitalization and leave raised purple scars that stay discolored and tender for many [Music] months just how long will it take to get a reaction from wet cement sensitivity to the abbrasive and custic properties of wet cement varies because of differences in skin thickness workers exposed to the same wet cement for the same length of time may experience a range of reactions from a mild irritation after a short time to a severe burn after several hours it's possible to have a reaction the first time you work with wet cement or you may develop your first reaction after years of working with Cement Products your initial reaction won't necessarily be mild it's quite possible to suffer a severe reaction the first time your first reaction may even be an allergic one known as allergic dermatitis different from an irritant dermatitis caused by lime water and alkaline chemicals allergic dermatitis is a reaction to certain chemicals in cement it's estimated that 5 to 15% of workers who handle wet mortar or concrete on a regular basis will eventually develop this allergy these workers experience a variety of reactions from a mild rash to severe skin ulcers in the presence of very small amounts of cement or cement rents water if you work with Cement Products for years and have never had any reaction it's possible your body isn't sensitive to certain chemicals in cement you're not necessarily immune however your body body changes with time age and even medication just like becoming allergic to Ragweed or a food that never bothered you before your body can suddenly decide that a material is dangerous it responds with an allergic reaction that often lingers even after the offending material is removed while it may take months to years to develop any reaction an allergy to the chemicals in wet cmit usually lasts a lifetime [Music] so how can you try to prevent skin injury from wet cement when handled properly Cement Products are very safe there are several things you can do to decrease your chances of getting an irritant or allergic dermatitis from wet cement wear clothing to protect skin from direct contact most workers are required to wear long pants but even long sleeve shirts should be worn for adequate protection wear chemical resistant gloves at all times and kneehigh waterproof boots while standing in concrete pants should be tucked inside these boots as an extra precaution some contractors require their workers to wrap duct tape around the top of the boots to prevent any concrete from spilling inside when kneeling on concrete use a dry board or waterproof pads to protect your knees from cement water that can soak through pants always protect your eyes while working around dry or wet cement wear safety glasses while placing fresh concrete or mortar wear a dust mask and tight fitting goggles when handling cement powder or while cutting hardened concrete following these precautions will greatly reduce your chances of skin and eye injuries from wet cement but there may be times when some paste does get inside or on your clothing to prevent injury from indirect contact do not attempt to wash this paste from clothing being worn this water can easily soak through clothing and since it has been in contact with cement is still strong enough to damage the skin remove all cement saturated clothing immediately because clothing is like a sponge and holds the custic liquid against the skin be sure to wash all areas of skin that came into contact with cement soaked clothing using adequate amounts of cool clean water remember protective clothing becomes ineffective when any wet cement spills inside any clothing that traps wet cement can actually enhance the burning effect this indirect contact is often more damaging than direct contact seek immediate medical attention if you have persistent or severe discomfort even if you're not sure the injury is serious remember the CTIC chemicals in wet cmit can burn the skin for hours causing little or no pain any delay in receiving treatment may result in infection and irreversible skin damage the most important form of prevention is making sure that your crew and your customers thoroughly understand the hazards of wet cement warnings about these reported hazards are printed on all sacks of cement and can also be found in material safety data sheets available for review it's important to teach workers about safe practices and to have Drive point out the product warnings on delivery tickets to their customers especially homeowners who may not be aware of the hazards in wet concrete whether you're a do-it-yourself homeowner installing a patio or a professional Mason who works with mortar every day there is a possibility you'll get wet cement on your clothes or skin the chemicals in cement have been known to cause a range of skin irritations from dry itchy skin to third degree burns the good news is that thousands of people work with Cement Products every year without harm and you can too you can greatly reduce your chances of skin damage by knowing how to protect yourself from direct and indirect contact with wet cement by taking precaution each and every time you too can be one of the thousands who safely benefit from the many uses of [Music] cement [Music] oh [Music]