The Framers Forum

Hi - I'm pregnant and a picture framer. Does anyone know if it is safe to use liming wax and other finishes if pregnant? Its difficult to know who to ask about this sort of thing! Hopefully someone may have already come across this issue...any help much appreciated.

This might be a good place to start:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/industry/woodworking.htm

The COSHH Data sheets might be able to give you some information or write direct to the manufacturer of the products if unsure.

Some info here:
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2531.aspx?C ... goryID=131

"Any small risk there is to your baby is greatest during your first trimester (weeks 0-13). This is because your baby's organs start to develop during the first trimester. Any harmful fumes or chemicals at this stage could affect your baby more severely.
Therefore, as a precaution it's best to avoid painting and decorating until at least the 14th week of your pregnancy."

Disclaimer:
I’ve just copied and pasted the above from the NHS website.

I know it doesn’t relate specifically to lime wax but it is an interesting read.

Happy pregnancy!

If you can smell the solvent in the wax, while you are using it, then you can inhale whatever it is that you can smell and perhaps get a small trace of it in you blood stream. All the experts will tell you that the small amount which you inhale, will not cause you or you baby any harm.

They will tell you that the chances of anything adverse happening are going to be something like one in a billion, or something similar. Whatever number they quote as a risk factor, it will not be zero.

Only you can decide whether this is O.K., or not! If this concerns you, then start liming with a nice safe waterbased paint instead and know that you have taken the best course of action to elliminate even that theorically too tiny to matter risk factor.

Congratulations!

I just thought I would say that as none of this lot could be bothered.

I think all things considered, as long as you don't develop a craving for liming wax and start munching it between frames then you will be grand.


It tastes terrible anyway.