Chapter 05
Handling and gear
The right gloves turn a bad afternoon into a story you do not have to tell.
| Job | Hands | Eyes | Lungs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pouring DE, lime, charcoal, sulfur | Nitrile | Wrap-around or goggles | P100 / N100 dust. A cloth bandana is not a respirator. |
| Bleach, pool shock, permanganate | Heavier nitrile or butyl | Sealed splash goggles | Outside or a real fan. Do not lean over the jug and sniff. |
| Lye, mixing soap | Heavy nitrile or butyl, sleeves | Sealed goggles plus a face shield if you have it | Dry powder is a dust; the solution is a vapor sting. Air. |
Kitchen ‘disposable’ gloves are a snack wrap. They tear on lye. Regular eyeglasses leave a gap that a splash will find. If you only buy one upgrade this year, buy splash goggles that seal and keep them in the same bin as the gloves, not in a toolbox in the other building.