WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT SMOKE TESTING
Christiane Tourtet B.A.
October 06, 2010
It is imperative for everyone to be fully informed about the serious risks associated with smoke testing. Contrary to the highly misleading, and reassuring notices and Press Releases of Cities to their residents, that it is safe, will not harm people, pets and plants, it is far from being so! City Officials let the public know only what they want them to know. On top of that, they announce that smoke testing will be done, as if it were mandatory, when in fact it is not, as there are no laws that say that such procedure must be done, thus misleading people into believing that they have no say into this matter! People should be aware that they are entitled to full disclosure of all the facts by the City, and that they have the legitimate right to oppose such practice!
City Officials present to the public, usually via Press Releases, that smoke testing is done to enhance wastewater infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, is the most efficient and cost effective means to identify the source of leaks and infiltration and that the test consists of forcing, safe, vegetable oil-derived smoke into the sewer system in order to locate and eliminate leaks and defects. It is usually further stated that the smoke is odorless, leaves no stains and residuals, is safe and has no adverse effect on people, plants and animals. Sounds great doesn´t it? The way it is presented to the public leads people to believe that no danger exists whatsoever!
The fact of the matter is that if leaks are present in the sewer system, then the smoke will enter the houses / buildings carrying extremely dangerous sewer gases, which can contain methane gas, which is explosive, and hydrogen sulfite gas, which is deadly! Of course City officials conveniently omit to mention this fact to their residents. They may state in their doors hangers placed on front doors of buildings/residences, 24 to 48 hours prior to smoke testing, that if smoke enters buildings/residences, to immediately evacuate the promises and notify the crew conducting the test or call the City.
They usually mention that sewers gases can enter the premises via the smoke, when there is a leak /defect in the sewer system but they also omit to alert their residents that these gases are quite dangerous. The large majority of people do not have the slightest idea that sewer gases are extremely dangerous, even deadly. So, City Officials, purposely omit to inform their residents of the extreme dangers of sewer gases entering their home/businesses via the smoke test, thus misleading the public.
The most widely used smoke testing is done by using LiquiSmoke, and City Officials make sure to not mention in their announcements, the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the product, even though it is available through them, upon individual request. Why is that so? Because they want to hide the truth from the public!
If you read the MSDS of liquiSmoke, it states in section I , that the general, or generic ID of the product is Hydrotreated Middle Distillate.
In section III / Hazards Identification:
Routes of Entry
Inhalation : Yes
Skin : Yes
Ingestion : Yes
Exposure Effects
Symptoms of exposure : Headache, drowsiness, eye, respiratory or skin irritation, nausea, numbness.
Acute Exposure Effects: Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Chronic Exposure Effects : Dermatis, pneumonitis & pulmonary edema.
Section IV
Fist Aid Measures
Emergency and First Aid Procedures
Remove from contaminated atmosphere .Give artificial respiration if not breathing. Remove contaminated clothing. Thoroughly wash affected areas with soap and water. In case of eye contact, flush eyes with water for 10-15 minutes. Seek Immediate Medical Care. If swallowed do not induce vomiting.
Section XIII
Regulatory Information
Hazardous under SARA Section a311 : Yes.
Granted that this is the MSDS for the raw product, but the smoke coming out from this product, can produce a host of quite serious health problems, especially for people with chronic illnesses, young children, the elderly, people with asthma, emphysema, heart condition, stroke, persons with various disabilities, and can be deadly for persons suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
It is totally unacceptable for City Officials, to mislead the public, by conveniently omitting to fully disclose the dangers associated with smoke testing, thus putting many
people´s health and life at risk in the name of efficiency, convenience and cost effectiveness!
References:
www.smoke testing.com
Smoke Testing Technique
Material Safety Data Sheet for Hurco Technologies Inc.
Wikipedia free Encyclopedia
© 2010 Christiane Tourtet .
City Officials present to the public, usually via Press Releases, that smoke testing is done to enhance wastewater infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, is the most efficient and cost effective means to identify the source of leaks and infiltration and that the test consists of forcing, safe, vegetable oil-derived smoke into the sewer system in order to locate and eliminate leaks and defects. It is usually further stated that the smoke is odorless, leaves no stains and residuals, is safe and has no adverse effect on people, plants and animals. Sounds great doesn´t it? The way it is presented to the public leads people to believe that no danger exists whatsoever!
The fact of the matter is that if leaks are present in the sewer system, then the smoke will enter the houses / buildings carrying extremely dangerous sewer gases, which can contain methane gas, which is explosive, and hydrogen sulfite gas, which is deadly! Of course City officials conveniently omit to mention this fact to their residents. They may state in their doors hangers placed on front doors of buildings/residences, 24 to 48 hours prior to smoke testing, that if smoke enters buildings/residences, to immediately evacuate the promises and notify the crew conducting the test or call the City.
They usually mention that sewers gases can enter the premises via the smoke, when there is a leak /defect in the sewer system but they also omit to alert their residents that these gases are quite dangerous. The large majority of people do not have the slightest idea that sewer gases are extremely dangerous, even deadly. So, City Officials, purposely omit to inform their residents of the extreme dangers of sewer gases entering their home/businesses via the smoke test, thus misleading the public.
The most widely used smoke testing is done by using LiquiSmoke, and City Officials make sure to not mention in their announcements, the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the product, even though it is available through them, upon individual request. Why is that so? Because they want to hide the truth from the public!
If you read the MSDS of liquiSmoke, it states in section I , that the general, or generic ID of the product is Hydrotreated Middle Distillate.
In section III / Hazards Identification:
Routes of Entry
Inhalation : Yes
Skin : Yes
Ingestion : Yes
Exposure Effects
Symptoms of exposure : Headache, drowsiness, eye, respiratory or skin irritation, nausea, numbness.
Acute Exposure Effects: Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Chronic Exposure Effects : Dermatis, pneumonitis & pulmonary edema.
Section IV
Fist Aid Measures
Emergency and First Aid Procedures
Remove from contaminated atmosphere .Give artificial respiration if not breathing. Remove contaminated clothing. Thoroughly wash affected areas with soap and water. In case of eye contact, flush eyes with water for 10-15 minutes. Seek Immediate Medical Care. If swallowed do not induce vomiting.
Section XIII
Regulatory Information
Hazardous under SARA Section a311 : Yes.
Granted that this is the MSDS for the raw product, but the smoke coming out from this product, can produce a host of quite serious health problems, especially for people with chronic illnesses, young children, the elderly, people with asthma, emphysema, heart condition, stroke, persons with various disabilities, and can be deadly for persons suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
It is totally unacceptable for City Officials, to mislead the public, by conveniently omitting to fully disclose the dangers associated with smoke testing, thus putting many
people´s health and life at risk in the name of efficiency, convenience and cost effectiveness!
References:
www.smoke testing.com
Smoke Testing Technique
Material Safety Data Sheet for Hurco Technologies Inc.
Wikipedia free Encyclopedia
© 2010 Christiane Tourtet .
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