Zinc Poisoning?

[jsoukup]

Last night, about 11, I started welding my casters to my welding table. These were the standard 1000lb casters from Northern.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...=40250&R=40250
(I didn't know they were 1000lb, thought they were 400lb! Maybe a bit overengineered!)

Anyway, I think these casters are zinc plated. I finished up around midnight and went to bed around 3am. I was really thirsty yesterday and this morning. Woke up early this morning felt ok till about 1pm. Then I started feeling like I was getting the flu.

I went to Walgreens, got some vitamins and cold medicine, cause I thought I was getting the flu. (And I got the flu shot.) By the time I got home i really felt like crap. Hot, chills, sore joints and abdomen. A little bit of cough, not really any flem.

Went to bed and I was really hot. Woke up at 7pm, took my temp, 100.2 .I drank a bunch of water and just read the AWS fact sheet for metal fume fever. It says symptoms usually occur within 4 hours. This was more 10 or 11 hours. Anyone had a delayed onset this long?

I didn't lay that much bead and I thought I was really careful, not to breathe the fumes, but I know I got a few wiffs. My temp is down to 99.6. Anyone got any sure cures? I'm going to get some milk to drink.

If this is zinc poisoning, I'm definately going to invest in a mask, it didn't take much at all.

[Mike W]

I doubt they were zinc plated. It was most likely cadmium. I am looking for some info on that.

[ggfossen]

Most of the cheap masks don't do much for fumes. They are for particulates. I don't know anything about the size of the stuff in zinc fumes, but I expect they might pass right thru the cheap masks???

Gary

[Mike W]

I stand corrected. I looked in the Nothern catalog and they only mention zinc plating. Drink lots of milk.

[yeruncle]

MikeW - cadmium (when welded) is DEADLY!!!!!!!!! That's the plating on nuts and bolts. I just read about it within the last 2 - 3 weeks. It also takes VERY LITTLE EXPOSURE to kill you!!
It just keeps gettin' better and better, doesn't it!?!

[Mike W]

Yeah, I don't know how I ever survived growing up in the 50's. I hope jsoukup is ok. He didnt stay around long. I think I got the zinc fever once some time ago. What info did you find out about cad?

[jsoukup]

My temp is back down to 98 and I feel a little better. My wife was asleep so I jumped in the car and went to 7-11, bought a quart of chocolate milk and some chocolate donuts. Just polished off the quart and most of the donuts. CHOCOLATE

I'm gonna go to bed, hopefully I'll feel good enough to go to work tomorrow afternoon.

[Mike W]

Donuts? Glad you are back among us.

[dda52]

If you plan on doing this again, drink the milk before and after welding.....donuts during. Keep your head outta the smoke and don't breathe it. Use a fan if possible, and do your welding outside. These little things will help limit your exposure to a fraction. I used to weld that stuff all day and week. I learned to hold my breath alot, too. One of the last jobs I did in Dallas got me pretty good with that stuff. It was a Furrs Cafeteria on Stemmons I think. Been awhile. Can't remember exactly where, but I definitely can remember the sick feeling.....not very pleasant. Here's hoping you get over it quickly.

[Thomas Harris]

I know this is kinda goofy considering the source, but any real health issue is best dealt with by a healthcare professional, not a welding forum.

[KenS]

Just one of hundreds of links: http://www.canoshweb.org/odp/html/cadmium.htm#p2a

contains the following and a lot more:

Overexposure to cadmium fume (usually from welding or cutting materials containing cadmium) can cause tracheo-bronchitis (inflammation in the trachea and bronchial tubes), pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs) and pulmonary edema (accumulation of fluid in the lungs). [97]

A severe inflammatory response accompanied by edema is usually fatal. [28] The ACGIH has estimated that 20% of those who experience acute pulmonary responses to cadmium fume die as a result. [4] Even a couple of hours of exposure to a few milligrams per cubic meter can have fatal results. [39]

I'd head for the doctor and forget the chocolate milk and donuts (are you for real?)

That stuff can kill you quickly.

[ggfossen]

OK, go to the doctor...

But what about the masks? Am I right, or wrong, about the cheap masks not filtering out cadmium and zinc fumes? Anybody no for sure?

Gary

[jsoukup]

I'm still a bit feverish, but I've been taking Tylenol. If I get worse, I may go to the doctor, but i guess I feel decent compared to what other folks have described. I'm going to go to work today. I really don't want to waste time going to a doctor unless this gets worse. I have a feeling that he would just give me a dumb look if I told him what happened. Then I'd have to tell him/show him the stuff I found out about it, then he would sit around and scratch his head, charge me $90, and send me home with Tylenol.

Anyway, I've welded on zinc and galvanized before, I just don't know why this time it got me. I'm very careful about it and I never weld inside.

[Rocky D]

Metal fume fever.....got hit a few times, never had to wait that long to get symptoms....you can tell if you've been hit when you can taste the zinc, right after welding it. That's the first symptom. Then the rest of the symptoms vary with the individual...some more...some less. i think you got the flu....you will know if the symptoms are gone after 48 hours...providing your immune system is up to par.

[fatfrank]

I'm still a bit feverish, but I've been taking Tylenol. If I get worse, I may go to the doctor, but i guess I feel decent compared to what other folks have described. I'm going to go to work today. I really don't want to waste time going to a doctor unless this gets worse. I have a feeling that he would just give me a dumb look if I told him what happened. Then I'd have to tell him/show him the stuff I found out about it, then he would sit around and scratch his head, charge me $90, and send me home with Tylenol.

Anyway, I've welded on zinc and galvanized before, I just don't know why this time it got me. I'm very careful about it and I never weld inside.

I welded up some chain link fence railing a few months ago and just like Rocky D said, you get the metal taste in your mouth right away. All my food tasted weird for a few days. I also think you may have really gottent he flu. Just because you got the flu shot doesn't mean your not going to still get it.