Sheila,

Interesting problem. 

Have you tried contacting the goggle manufacturers to specifically identify how the goggles are made and with what products? 

Since latex was identified years ago to cause multiple allergic reactions/sensitivities, nitrile glove use has significantly increased in those applications requiring protection and is now commonplace.  Natural latex gloves contained natural proteins that induced multiple levels of allergic reactions.  But to compare there are ~30 different ways to manufacture nitrile gloves, with ~12 of the processes using known sensitizers including thiurams, mercaptobenzothiazoles and dithiocarbamates, which may be used either individually or in combination, with the glove manufacturing processes varying in use from a limiting reactant to an accelerator. 

More importantly, why is it important to ask the questions?  If you were to research or investigate each chemical based upon the chemicals specific regulatory requirements, you would discover some are registered pesticides while others are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis or Type IV delayed hypersensitivity (an immunological response). 

The fact that the student is going to contact his/her doctor should be expected.  But, is expecting the student’s doctor to investigate to the level of identifying which specific accelerator could be in use realistic? 

I believe the standard protocol of care would be for the physician (if an internist or allergist) to perform a general screening process since they do not know which specific sensitization compounds to screen for? 

However, if you could identify any compound of concern it would significantly expedite the process and save the student’s doctor of trying to screen through all possible allergens, limiting the testing requirements, costs, time, etc.  Most importantly, if you can identify if any of the sensitizers are present and causing the condition, than you can screen for and eliminate those sensitizers with other goggles during the PPE selection process. 

In ~30 years of professional EHS practice I have not encountered this exact concern, but I have encountered similar situations with other PPE.

Are there any goggle manufacturer’s out there that may provide input, corrections or clarification? 

I would very much like to see this thread continued to increase all of the list’s knowledge base.

BruceV      

Many thanks to those who have answered and offered help.

I have further information after I talked to the student today. It’s not the skin around his eyes that hurts, although it looked red. His eyes hurt as though something is in them & the feeling stops when he takes off the goggles (2 different pairs, so far).

He’s calling his doctor and I’m talking to anyone who might have a clue.

Perhaps someone has experience with this.

We have a student in general chem lab who appears to be sensitive to the materials in his lab goggles. His face was red and showed raised bumps and he reported the contact was very painful after just  short time. We tried careful washing of goggles and a pair from another maker, with very similar results.

Today I’m going to give him a pair of safety glasses and a full-face shield to use while we pursue this question. I plan to let him take several pairs of different goggles with him and try them – perhaps an hour at a time – at home to see if he can find something useful.

Is there anything we can apply to the flange material to isolate it from skin? Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Sheila M. Kennedy, C.H.O.

Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories

Chemistry & Biochemistry |University of California, San Diego

9500 Gilman Dr. | La Jolla, CA  92093-0303

Office: (858) 534-0221 | Fax: (858) 534-7687

s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**ucsd.edu | http://www-chem.ucsd.edu