Well into the 1980s, mechanics routinely cleaned their hands with “safety solvent” (trichloroethane 1,1,1), so named because it isn’t flammable like gasoline (another favorite hand wash back then). Nevertheless, it isn’t safe — it’s highly carcinogenic.
The human body’s capacity to remove toxins is overloaded because of the thousands of toxins in our air, food, and water. We can reduce some of these by, for example, using less toxic cleaning solutions at home. For example, use baking soda and vinegar instead of something in a spray can.
However, the main place for electricians to focus on the toxin problem is in the workplace. You can’t, for example, use baking soda or vinegar to clean breaker contacts; you’re going to have to use something that is less friendly to your body.
Two key strategies are limiting exposure and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). For that contact spray, the MDS might recommend nitrile gloves and a charcoal respirator.
