Soldering and toddlers

[kike]

Hi guys,
How dangerous is for a toddler to be in the same room when soldering, I am thinking soldering fumes, lead poisoning.

I have read somewhere that lead free solder is more dangerous than one with the lead.

I have a fan with active carbon filter on it, but some gets in the air.

My kid love to watch, i can't get him out of the room.
I am scared so I need opinions and advice.

 

[beatnik]

I also heard fumes from the flux of lead free solder are more harmful, but I wouldn't believe the smoke from leaded solder flux is good either.

I don't think you can get lead poisoning from solder fumes, I guess it's because the metal does not turn into a gas substance ?
But you can definitely ingest small quantities of lead that is deposited on your hands, for example under fingernails.
From a health and safety perspective leaded solder is best avoided, but if you need to use it all you can do is avoid it spreading and wash your hands properly afterwards.

What kind of fan are you using ? The small cheap tabletop units are a joke, imo they should be banned from the market as they give a false impression they are actually providing safety.

Perhaps invest in a professional unit, I use a Pace Arm Evac series which can be often found on ebay around £100-£200.
It's insanely loud but if well positioned it sucks 100% of the fumes into the filter. Now what is the efficiency of the filter I don't know exactly, but there are specific regulations about this kind of products, so hopefully it removes most of the nastiness...

Other than solder fumes or lead poisoning I can think of dozens more potential hazards for a toddler in an electronics workshop.
I think you should better wait past the age when they stop put everything in their mouth and stick their fingers everywhere.

 

[crazydoc]

I never even thought about the fumes way back when, but one of my kids grabbed the soldering iron by the wrong end.

It was never a problem after that, and he works for Microsoft in electronics prototyping now.

 

[JohnRoberts]

If soldering fumes are harmful, that might explain why I feel so old... I probably ingested more toxins (lead?) by stripping wire insulation with my teeth.

But that's life...

JR

 

[ruffrecords]

If soldering fumes are harmful, that might explain why I feel so old... I probably ingested more toxins (lead persue a career in elecgtroncis. Then the changed the?) by stripping wire insulation with my teeth.

But that's life...

JR

So True. I got asthma at the age of 8 and when I really got into electronics at age 11 and started soldering, the fumes would choke me. I was coughing and hacking all over the place. I thought I would never be able to pursue a career in electronics but then they changed the makeup of flux and it did not affect me anymore. The rest is history.

Cheers

Ian

 

[JohnRoberts]

weird how my quoted comment got scrambled with yours...

JR

 

[Ricardus]

DO NOT SOLDER TODDLERS.

a) The solder won't stick unless you use like a pound of flux

b) I'm pretty sure social services frowns upon this sorta thing

 

[crazydoc]

I probably ingested more toxins (lead?) by stripping wire insulation with my teeth.

JR

Doing that ruined my beautiful smile.

 

[totoxraymond]

I'm a young dad too.

I wouldn't allow my son to the workshop when i'm working. I just can't watch after him and concentrate on my stuff...

And soldering fumes would be the least of all hazard in my workshop. Many things that could cut/burn/kill... (i love them all)

Ymmv.

Cheers,

Thomas

 

[kike]

Soldering is my hobby, I am doing this at home. I have a room where, from time to time, doing my diy stuff. He is showing interest for electronics.
I am wondering is it OK to keep him interested or to keep him away from all that.
I have all the tools on high ground, where he can't reach.
That's all.