Prop 65 - Extreme California

Recent amendments to California Proposition 65 (“Prop 65”) establish new warning requirements for products manufactured on or after August 30, 2018 which include any chemicals identified by the state of California here: https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list - (This list is 22 pages long)

All products requiring Prop 65 warnings.

• An indication of the warning required for those products, i.e.,
  • Which “short form” warning to use, or
  • Which “long form” warning to use, complete with the name(s) of relevant chemicals.

After spending the labor day weekend going over every product we sell and trying to match any chemicals from the 22 page list, I have found only one that I think applies - Cumeme Hydroperoxide (not listed) which is made from Cumene (listed) and a component of the threadlocker we supply in a 2 oz capsule with all of our scope mounts.

While I think it is worthwhile to advise a customer if there is any chemical that may have a cancer risk or lead to a reproductive disorder, I have to ask myself what we have in our modern world that does not have some risk - some high, some low - but risk nonetheless.

At this point, reading 30 or 40 MSDS sheets and trying to find the chemicals on the Prop 65 listing has cost our small company at least $1,000 (probably more if I counted ALL my time) and the result was a "possible" connection to a product we practically give away.

 

Hm. Some day, the human race may regress to where judgement can be applied instead of rote obedience to some political feel good dictate. I'm surprised that bleach can still be sold.

 

We are required by OSHA to have everything in the shop labeled with the MSDS warnings. If we transfer a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to a small container, it has to be labeled. All of our cutting oils, parkerizing solutions, chemicals for our Branson cleaner, ANYTHING, must be labeled. We hired the son of a Savage Arms VP to come in every afternoon after school and label anything that isn't already labeled. Is it a wonder that the overhead for a small company is so high. In addition to being a collector and remitter of taxes for the government, a collector and remitter of child support for the enforcement division, the collector and remitter of garnishment for lawsuits, we have to make sure every container has a label. I'm sure we should probably also but a warning on the company supplied coffee urn that it may be hot!

 

Hmmm What's the half-life of NORM, halfnorm?

 

California has opened Pandora's box with warnings about health hazards to the extent that if there is anything sold in the State that is not listed as requiring labeling and it causes an allergic reaction, watery eyes, a sneezing attack, or the Big "C", the State could be held liable for not warning it's citizens.

This is the peril of being Big Brother. You now become responsible for the decisions of the masses instead of the masses exercising their own good judgment in what they purchase and use.

 

Do they require breathing hazard warning on boric acid dust and crystals? Talcum powder? Garlic powder? Hm.

 

Hot sauce, plastic bags, bags of cement, loud music, bright sunlight (like to see them label that)....

 

This list does include Wood Dust and Leather dust...All those dominatrix will not be protected by the almighty hand of the gov

 

Knew about those. I know your boss has no great need for it, but you'll need a dust mask in spinning mills and should in grist mills. The list is endless.

 

We have boxes of dust masks for different particulates and also respirators for various work. We have case after case of various gloves, face masks, etc. Lots of overhead but we do our best to protect our employees. Unfortunately, the bar is always rising

 

Well, yeah, for the machining and so forth, but for spinning or milling wheat?

 

When I used to work in the weighing industry, trips into grain elevators was routine but but never easy on the nerves. Dust and chance of explosion were ever present but machine oil and coolant misting in the air is not particularly pleasant either. Everything gets covered with a sticky film and then the grinding dust melds into that. I'm always glad that the majority of my time is spent in my office

 

After we manganese phosphate our parts, we coat them in an oil that I expected would have to be listed but the chemical basis of the oil was not on the Prop 65 list. The chemicals in the finish itself don't have to be reported since manganese phosphate actually reacts to the surface of the metal and changes the molecular structure at the surface level. It it no longer a coating but a completely new surface