DOC ID: SOP-001 // REV: 2026 // AUTHOR: PROCESS OPERATOR
⚠️ Safety First: Industrial Solvents are not toys. Respect the Chemistry.
1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Industrial inks use solvents that can permeate standard skin barriers. Dress for the crash, not the ride.
Gloves
NITRILE (Required): Use thick Nitrile gloves (5mil+). They offer resistance to petroleum distillates.
NO LATEX: Xylene and Acetone eat latex instantly. The barrier will fail in seconds.
Respiratory
Organic Vapor (OV) Cartridge: Standard N95 masks do NOTHING against solvent fumes. You need a half-face respirator with 3M 6001 (Black Label) cartridges.
Ventilation: If you can smell it through the mask, your seal is broken or the cartridge is spent.
2. Fire & Static Control
The Flash Point
Definition: The lowest temperature at which vapors can ignite. Toluene and Acetone have flash points below room temperature.
The Danger: Invisible vapor trails can travel along the floor to a pilot light or outlet spark.
Bonding & Grounding
Static Shock: Pouring solvent generates static electricity. If the charge jumps, the vapor explodes.
Protocol: When pouring from a metal drum to a smaller metal container, use a bonding wire to connect the two cans. Keep contact between containers to prevent a spark gap.
3. Hazardous Waste Protocol
Liquid Waste
NEVER pour solvents, resins, or pigment sludge down the sink or toilet. It will destroy PVC piping and contaminate the local water table.
SOP: Pour waste into a designated "Slop Jar" (HDPE bucket or metal tin). Evaporate small amounts outdoors or take full containers to a local chemical disposal facility.
Rag Safety (Spontaneous Combustion)
Solvent-soaked rags can heat up as they dry and self-ignite.
SOP: Never ball up wet rags in the trash. Lay them flat outdoors to dry completely before disposal, or store in a sealed metal safety can.