Bonsai Related Health Risks: Things to do and not to do

yenling83

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I was hoping we could get a thread going about Bonsai Related Health Risks. While many Bonsai Health risks are common Sense, I feel something are not. I would love if you would please add to my list and give me some more specifics.

Lime Sulfur Wear gloves and protective glasses and a respiratory mask if spraying. Lime Sulfur can blind you if too much get's into your eyes. I've heard they wear full body suits in Japan while spraying this stuff esp on ume, when they use a higher concentration. I don't know why exactly they banned it in CA or if that is even true or not, but It's not something I want in my lungs. Is it bad to get on your skin?

Moss Wear gloves when handling moss, I hear long fibered new zeland Sphagnum moss is not that bad. I also saw a you tube video with a guy who used 100% moss for all his trees. I hear he died from moss.

Sand BlastingWear a respiratory mask, the tiny particles can get in your lungs

ToolsBasically common sense, but learning how to hold power tools the proper way is important.


Would you please share some of your knowledge?
 
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Bill S

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Sphagnum moss and Rooting hormones - use mask and gloves, the rooting hormones are carcinogenic, and there is a fungal disease that comes from the moss, again gloves and a mask.

I would assume risk and carefully read the lables from ANY insecticide, or fungal reliefs.


Don't forget, when you are snipping away, don't cut off those pink branches.:rolleyes:

In todays world common sense is not good enough, if in the position make the tool safety remarks( ie. safety glasses when using power tools), if you don't you may be lible for someone cutting off his/her pink branch.:eek: I know but in today litigous society there are a lot of angles for someone to get you.

Better safe than sorry.
 

yenling83

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Sphagnum moss and Rooting hormones - use mask and gloves, the rooting hormones are carcinogenic, and there is a fungal disease that comes from the moss, again gloves and a mask.

I would assume risk and carefully read the lables from ANY insecticide, or fungal reliefs.


Don't forget, when you are snipping away, don't cut off those pink branches.:rolleyes:

In todays world common sense is not good enough, if in the position make the tool safety remarks( ie. safety glasses when using power tools), if you don't you may be lible for someone cutting off his/her pink branch.:eek: I know but in today litigous society there are a lot of angles for someone to get you.

Better safe than sorry.

What type of Mask do you think is sufficient for sph moss and rooting hormone? Would a standard dust type mask, I think they are N95 usually cost a few dollars?
 

snobird

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Personal experience - a heavy tree will result in a hernia one or other time. Use the correct technique and/or lifting and transport devices even if you are very strong.
 

Smoke

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Stress The additional burdon of spending inordinate amounts of money to post the pictures of exceptional trees from around the state to a discussion forum that produces very little discussion, unless it's politics......
 

milehigh_7

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Don't forget the dust from perlite. The spec sheet reads regarding level of dust exposure:

Acute – Inhalation: Inhalation of dust may result in respiratory irritation.
Chronic: Evidence indicates that repeated or prolonged exposure to Perlite dust could result in lung disorders.
 

mcpesq817

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Personal experience - a heavy tree will result in a hernia one or other time. Use the correct technique and/or lifting and transport devices even if you are very strong.

Yeah, luckily I haven't gotten one yet, but as your trees get bigger and you get older, I can see this as being one of the biggest risks.
 

Kirk

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Honesty: Telling your spouse the amount you just spent on a tree or pot.
 

jk_lewis

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Goodness! Reading this maybe I need my haz-mat suit back.

May I suggest that you apply lime sulfur with a brush; then you don't have to worry about aerosol mist. (I have found nothing anywhere but in rumor spread on bonsai sites any info on LS being banned anywhere -- tho since I no longer live near California, I don't really care.)

Pearlite dust doesn't exist if you don't use Pearlite -- and in 40+ years of bonsai I've somehow managed to not use it.

The risks from sphagnum moss are miniscule to vanishing if you use it when you have no cuts on your hands, and damned slim otherwise.

When you sift Turface and other soil, sit upwind so the dust blows away from you.
 

ghues

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Power tools - along with eye protection don't forget about hearing protection - a must for every power tool:rolleyes:
 

Kirk

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no... that is what you DON'T EVER DO. ;) kidding of course

Exactly. That is why I feel its the #1 bonsai related health risk. It will truly get you killed.
 

jk_lewis

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Sheesh! You guys need new spouses. Get one with an expesive hobby of their own.

I've been married to the same gal for 50 years now. She's into horses. (BIG grin!)
 

october

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From what I understand and was told,,the danger when dealing with moss is mostly when it is dry.. It is then that you can inhale the residue from it and it is said to have the potential to cause severe health issues. I have no doubt that this is a real situation. I have also heard of people becoming very ill from it.
 

Bill S

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Rob, make that very dead, there are (don't remember the name/s) reports of death from the disease.

Not sure on the mask Yenling, the typical one is probably OK, can't say for sure, you could probably weponize anything if it could be made fine enough(thinking anthrax type of processing). Not sure of how the bad stuff becomes a danger, and don't know the spec on the typical masks either, for the most part most of us don't deal with these on a oft repeated basis, so to start with the risk is probably low, the mask would be an added preventative measure, cutting down the risk factor. The mask would kind of act like not kneeling at the back of your car (near the exhaust pipe) and inhaling the fumes for a half an hour or so, cut down the exposure, cut down the risk.
 

Dav4

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She's into horses. (BIG grin!)

I suppose one could argue a spouse's expensive hobby could actually handicap your own... I have a pretty good idea what feed/board goes for these days:eek:, and we won't even mention vet bills, routine or otherwise. It must eat a hole into the discretionary cash fund each month (one reason why I will never own a horse...too expensive/fragile for my tastes and financial liquidity).

Dave

PS My wife is into jewelry- UGH!
 
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Brian Van Fleet

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Buncha Nanby Panbys...we get to talk about this sh!t every day at work, which makes me "pine" to get back to my bonsai, where I have not established a nanny state, but practice personal responsibility instead...and yes, it's important to be careful, but why start a MSDS book and PPE list here?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:rolleyes:

(typing with copper wire and JPB needle scratches all over my hands, and a scots-pine-induced hernia scar...and proud of it):D

And apparently crabby to be back at work after a nice break...
 
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yenling83

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Buncha Nanby Panbys...we get to talk about this sh!t every day at work, which makes me "pine" to get back to my bonsai, where I have not established a nanny state, but practice personal responsibility instead...and yes, it's important to be careful, but why start a MSDS book and PPE list here?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:rolleyes:

(typing with copper wire and JPB needle scratches all over my hands, and a scots-pine-induced hernia scar...and proud of it):D

what ever dude. JPB needle scratches don't worry me one bit Macho Man. I just prefer not to die young or lose my eye sight and not be able to do Bonsai. I know when I started Bonsai I used Sp Moss while I had cuts on my hands. It's not just being careful, because it's not common knowledge that that's a bad idea.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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what ever dude. JPB needle scratches don't worry me one bit Macho Man. I just prefer not to die young or lose my eye sight and not be able to do Bonsai. I know when I started Bonsai I used Sp Moss while I had cuts on my hands. It's not just being careful, because it's not common knowledge that that's a bad idea.

Ya know I'm playin'
...mostly.
 
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