ABSTRACT
If the manufacturer had taken steps to observe workers using the product in the field it would have learned that during intended use of the product, residue on the pipe fittings would dry out and be brushed off, releasing lead-containing dust particles into the air. The manufacturer would also have observed workers using their fingers to wipe excess pipe dope onto clothes, which would also dry out, thereby serving as another significant route of exposure. Thus, the relevant hazard of PPS 2 in this case was not eating or swallowing it—it was breathing the dust created from the dried paste. The dust could enter the air from brushed-off dried residue from the pipefittings or by residue on work clothing. When a product or process has hazards associated with it, there are several strategies available to limit or control exposure. The manufacturer's material safety data sheet for PPS 2 was an additional source of product information.
