Warning! Refinishing Your Bathtub Could Kill You
Published On: February 24, 2012
How scary is this? Beautifying your bathtub could lead to death.
It turns out that 13 bathtub refinishers have died in the last 12 years as a result of methylene chloride stripping agents. According to an article in Health Day, “All of the deaths occurred in residential bathrooms with inadequate ventilation. The victims either did not use protective respiratory equipment or the equipment they used did not protect against methylene chloride vapor, according to the report in the Feb. 24 edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the CDC.”
CDC Report Links Death to These Products
The Centers for Disease Control Report lists the following products in relation to the death of 13 people since 2000
- 5F5 Paint and Varnish Remover
- Benco #B4 Industrial Paint Remover
- Dayco Marine-Strip Heavy Duty Paint Remover
- Eldorado Paint Remover – 4028
- Klean-Strip Aircraft Remover
- Klean-Strip Premium Stripper
- Recochem Paint and Varnish Remover
- Rust-Oleum Aircraft Remover
- SEM XXX Finish Stripper
- Tal-Strip II Aircraft Coating Remover
Failure to Warn
Here’s the problem: According to the Health Day article, “Ten different products were associated with the deaths, with six marketed for use in the aircraft industry and the others for use on wood, metal, glass and masonry. Bathtub refinishing was not mentioned on any of the product labels.”
So, if the bathtub refinishes didn’t know that the product posed a danger, how could they have prevented their own demise? Bottom line is this: A manufacturer has a duty to properly label their products and to warn potential users victims of the known dangers. How simple would it have been to just say “Warning: Must Be Used in a Well-Ventilated Area”?
And, now, 13 people are dead.
This is potentially a huge products liability problem for the manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers of these products. The bathtub refinishes have left behind families who may have the right to compensation for the loss of their loved one.
You or your family’s rights may fall into several arenas: Product liability including wrongful death and/or Workers Compensation (also including wrongful death).
Related Links
- UPI: Chemicals Kill Bathtub Refinishers
- National Institute of Health: Poisoning caused by paint stripping agents containing dichloromethane
- Kentucky Labor Board: Chemical Exposure to Methylene Chloride Results in 13 Worker Deaths
- My Blog: Product Liability Articles
Justice For Your Injuries or Loss of a Loved One
If you have lost a family member or have been injured by chemicals used to strip bathtubs, you may have a right to compensation.
If you have a family member or close friend that has been injured or died and suspect that it is as a result of the paint stripping agents discussed in this artiel, tell them to contact me to evaluate your concerns and provide you with the utmost in legal guidance.
