Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Wasp Spray - 101 uses around the home, at the office, and in the car...


Wasp Spray

I have a friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area who was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead. The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray they have to get too close to you and could overpower you.

The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

Myth Buster!
http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9701967776/m/51719727101

Hi guys.

I just received an email from a friend-- notorious for sending urban legends emails-- talking about a gal who worked in a church, and needed some protection in the event of a post sunday money counting attack/robbery.While I agree that it sounds plausible, it sounded just stupid enough to make me question it.

So, I googled it and sure enough Snopes had something on it.... Although it appears to be rather old. http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=46630 The discussion starts off with the email text, and goes in to some various, reasonable, ideas that'd be the fall out.

The question is-- would Wasp Spray actually work better than using Pepper Spray in stopping an attacker?Here are the issues that I think are important.
1- level of deadliness of being sprayed (in the eyes, or face) with Wasp poison.
2- time limit before point of no return for receiving medical care-- before permanent damage occurs.
3- legal implications of spraying a robber or mugger, attacker in attack against victim. Gotta talk with a lawyer on this one-- and it can't be only a California lawyer.... I live in Nevada, and my friend who sent it lives in Texas. Her email list recipients live all over the nation.
4- general stupidity, and fraudulence of the idea.

Oh, I did look on the forum for the search terms- wasp spray vs. pepper spray-- no hits.

vetusfabula Junior Member
the reason pepperspray works is that it uses direct pain to subdue the attacker, although only temperarily. peperspray works on four fronts, it irritates the eyes, it irritates the lungs, it irritates the skin, and in some brands either makes them with visible or uv ink for police identification. but whether wasp or bug spray is just as effective? i dont think so personally, for one thing it doesnt irritate the skin, and its not as effective irritating the lungs, and finally the point of using pepperspray is so the suspect is disabled enough to be aprehended but not permanantly harmed. there have been cases where the criminal is hurt while performing a crime and had successfully sued for damages. ridiculous yes, but thats our judicial system for you.

cijay Senior Member
I got "Off" splashed in my eye when I was a kid and I tell ya', it disabled me for a good hour as far as not being able to see. I'd say the first five minutes were spent trying to rinse my eye out so I'd take a chance with anything aerosol.

Using Pepper Spray Legally...
Does that apply to Wasp Spray?
http://pepperspray.lifetips.com/cat/59738/pepper-spray-law/

What is the legal way to use pepper spray? Using pepper spray irresponsibly can incur criminal or civil liability. Spraying an innocent victim in the face can be a crime. Much like a punch in the face, it would be charged as assault or battery in most jurisdictions. The justification for using pepper sprays must either be self-defense from personal injury or an arrest situation, and the force must be reasonable under the circumstances. For example, the law says you can´t lawfully spray someone in the face for using obscene language or because you are simply afraid because they look mean.

Using Pepper Spray in California
What is the pepper spray law in California?

Misuse of tear gas in California comes with state penalties of up to a $1000 fine and/or up to three years in prison, not to mention a possible felony conviction on record. Examples of misuse include using tear gas on people in anger, spraying it as a joke, or possession of tear gas by prohibited persons. Minors, drug addicts or persons convicted of felonies, assault or misuse of tear gas are legally prohibited from possessing tear gas, although there are few barriers to procurement of tear gas by these people.

To be legally purchased, possessed or used in California, any canister must have a label that says "WARNING: The use of this substance or device for any purpose other than self-defense is a crime under the law. The contents are dangerous--use with care." The maximum legal net weight for a canister is 2.5 ounces, or 70 grams of OC.

Did you know that a wasp can sting you repeatedly and some species will leave a scent behind that will alert other wasps in the area that there is an enemy threatening their territory?

I don't care for wasps, bees, hornets, yellow jackets or any other flying stinging insect. That might not be an eco-friendly statement to make but I have some weird pheromone that I let off that just screams, "bite me". I could be standing in the middle of an ice storm and something, somewhere would bite me. To compound things, now that I'm minus a leg I can't run as fast as I used to so when I am out and about in the yard or doing something in the attic and I hear something buzzing I get stressed easily.

The past three years have been horrible in my area in regards to wasps. Not only are they getting bolder with where they are building their nests but they are attacking more people and doing more damage. My son got bit several times when one of them ended up in his blanket. It was warm during the day but cold at night so we had to assume that it made its way into the house and when the temperature dropped it went inactive. He kept saying that if felt like something was biting or pinching him; when we shook out the blanket we saw the wasp. That's when I knew that we needed something a little stronger than the general "flying insect" spray we were using.

Home Depot has some of the best customer service people around; they suggested Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer to start with. If we still had a problem in a few weeks they could recommend something a little stronger or something made specifically for what we were dealing with. The biggest problem we had was the back end of the house. This gets all the morning and afternoon sun so the bricks heat up and stay hot until about eight at night. The archways over the windows are where the nests were, if I hadn't crawled out on to the roof last summer I would have never seen them as their view was blocked when you looked out the window or lifted the screen. The wasps really liked the little homes they set up and they could be seen buzzing about all day long. If they stayed outside chances are I wouldn't have wanted to kill them but when they started making their way indoors I knew that everyone, including the pets, were in danger.

Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer is not something that you are going to want to use without reading the label and protecting yourself. Since I have to spray this upward and overhead I had to get some safety glasses [goggles would be better though] to keep it from getting in my eyes. Even if there isn't a breeze, it could hit you right in the face and you are going to be in some extreme pain if that happens. If possible, wear a long sleeve shirt to keep the overspray from getting on your skin and agitating it. Shake the can well, aim it at the insect or nest and spray. It foams as it is released and clings to pretty much anything it touches. I was able to spray this about six feet from the nest; I didn't want to get any closer because I didn't know how they would react to it.

Wasps and other insects are usually dormant in the early morning before the temperature starts to rise, that is the best time to spray for them unless you have some strong source of light that you can use at night. For insects that are on the move you are going to have to be a little more daring and get as close as possible. If you aren’t a scaredy cat like me you can wait for them to land somewhere and then hit them with the Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer.

Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer contains:
Tetramethrin: Used to attack and immobilize the nervous system. It is a quick acting pyrethroid based chemical that has recently been linked to cases of autism. Permethrin: Commonly found in products for treating head lice in humans; it can be toxic to dogs and cats as well as small rodents. Avoid spraying this near any pet area or near fish tanks or aquariums as it is deadly to fish and underwater creatures.

If you have any concerns about this product you can request to see a MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet. This is something that will give you a more technical look at the ingredients, their dangers, flash point, toxicity and other avenues of information. Please be warned, most products like this are tested on animals to establish their toxicity level and that information is included in the MSDS. Stores that sell this should have one in their office; if not you can call SC Johnson and ask to have one sent to you. This is marketed, as you may guess by the name, for killing wasps and hornets but I have used it on other flying insects. I'm generally not bothered by mosquitoes [but do get bit by them] so this stuff is reserved for the bugs that can cause serious injury if they bite someone.

I have a huge earwig problem at the beginning of summer, I mentioned that to the guy at Home Depot and he told me to spray Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer on the inside of the window frame in my office to keep the earwigs out. He also suggested boric acid, something that seems to be the death rattle for most crawling insects. Since I have pets that roam all over the house, laying down boric acid isn't a practical solution. I sprayed the Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer on the inside of the window tracks and base and haven't seen but one or two of them since.

Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer isn't cheap. At Home Depot it sells for about six dollars a can. I should have checked Wal-Mart but I didn't feel like trying to track down someone that works in the section to see if they had any advice. While it may cost more than other insect killers I think that it does a great job. I haven’t seen any activity at any of the nests so I think I have the problem under control for a little while. I like the fact that I can spray this on the nest or at them if they are flying around. The first can I bought was gone in a couple of days but I restocked and am more than ready if they decide to make another appearance.

OSU COLLEGE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MSDS FILE
S C JOHNSON & SON RACINE WI 53403 -- RAID WASP & HORNET KILLER, 11350 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FSC: 6840 NIIN: 004592443 Manufacturer's CAGE: 32204 Part No. Indicator: A Part Number/Trade Name: RAID WASP & HORNET KILLER, 11350 =========================================================================== General Information
=========================================================================== Company's Name: S.C. JOHNSON & SON, INC/RACINE, WI 53403 Company's Emerg Ph #: (414) 631-2000 Record No. For Safety Entry: 007 Tot Safety Entries This Stk#: 023 Date MSDS Prepared: 01JAN87 Safety Data Review Date: 05AUG87 MSDS Serial Number: BBSKX =========================================================================== Ingredients/Identity Information =========================================================================== Proprietary: NO Ingredient: DICHLORVOS (DDVP) (SARA III) Ingredient Sequence Number: 01 Percent: 465% NIOSH (RTECS) Number: TC0350000 CAS Number: 62-73-7 OSHA PEL: S, 1 MG/M3 ACGIH TLV: S, 0.1 MG/M3; 9192 ------------------------------------- Proprietary: NO Ingredient: BAYGON Ingredient Sequence Number: 02 Percent: 475% NIOSH (RTECS) Number: 1000986BG ------------------------------------- Proprietary: NO Ingredient: NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM SPIRITS OR BENZIN) Ingredient Sequence Number: 03 Percent: 40% NIOSH (RTECS) Number: SE7555000 CAS Number: 8030-30-6 OSHA PEL: 100 PPM ACGIH TLV: NOT ESTABLISHED ------------------------------------- Proprietary: NO Ingredient: METHYL CHLOROFORM (1,1,1-TRICHLOROEHANE) (SARA III) Ingredient Sequence Number: 04 Percent: 65% NIOSH (RTECS) Number: KJ2975000 CAS Number: 71-55-6 OSHA PEL: 350 PPM/450 STEL ACGIH TLV: 350 PPM/450STEL;9192 ------------------------------------- Proprietary: NO Ingredient: CARBON DIOXIDE Ingredient Sequence Number: 05 Percent: 1-5% NIOSH (RTECS) Number: FF6400000 CAS Number: 124-38-9 OSHA PEL: 5000 PPM ACGIH TLV: 5000PPM/30000STEL;93 =========================================================================== Physical/Chemical Characteristics =========================================================================== Appearance And Odor: DISPENSED AS A SPRAY STREAM W/SOLVENT ODOR Boiling Point: NONE Specific Gravity: 1.07 Evaporation Rate And Ref: NONE Solubility In Water: NEGLIGIBLE =========================================================================== Fire and Explosion Hazard Data =========================================================================== Flash Point: NONE Extinguishing Media: FOAM, CO2, DRY CHEMICAL, WATER FOG Special Fire Fighting Proc: FIRE PROTECTED AREA. WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. SCBA. Unusual Fire And Expl Hazrds: AEROSOL PRODUCT CONTAINERS MAY ROCKET OR EXPLODE IN HEAT. BURNING MAY PRODUCE ACID MIST, TOXIC FUMES =========================================================================== Reactivity Data =========================================================================== Stability: YES Materials To Avoid: STRONG OXIDIZERS, ALKALIS/BASES/CAUSTICS/ACIDS/ ALUMINUM/ZINC Hazardous Decomp Products: MAY FORM AN ACID MIST AND TOXIC FUMES. Hazardous Poly Occur: NO =========================================================================== Health Hazard Data =========================================================================== Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: PROLONGED OR REPEATED CONTACT OF PRODUCT W/ SKIN MAY CAUSE IRRITATION. Emergency/First Aid Proc: EYES: FLUSH W/WATER FOR 15 MINUTES. IF IRRITATION PERSISTS, SEEK MEDICAL AID. SKIN: REMOVE W/SOAP & WATER. IF SWALLOWED: DON'T INDUCE VOMITING. SEEK MEDICAL AID> IF CHLOLINESTRERASE INHIBITION IS PRESENT, ATROPINE IS ANTIDOTAL. =========================================================================== Precautions for Safe Handling and Use =========================================================================== Steps If Matl Released/Spill: WIPE UP SPILL WITH CLOTH. RINSE AFFECTED AREA THOROUGHLY WITH WATER. Waste Disposal Method: DISPOSE OF AEROSOL CAN BY WRAPPING AND PLACING IN TRASH. DON'T PUNCTURE OR BURN CONTAINER. DISPOSE OF SPILLED RESIDUES & MULTIPLE UNITS ACCORDANCE WITH ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS. Precautions-Handling/Storing: PRODUCT RESIDUE MAY REMAIN IN EMPTY CONTAINERS. DON'T PRESSURIZE/CUT/HEAT/WELD/EXPOSE CONTAINETO FLAME; EXPLOSION COULD OCCUR. Other Precautions: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN. AVOID CONTACT W/SKIN/EYES/CLOTHING. GASTRILAVAGE IS INDICATED IF TAKEN INTERNALLY. =========================================================================== Control Measures =========================================================================== Respiratory Protection: IF VENTILATION IS ADEQUATE, RESPIRATORY PROTECTION NOT REQUIRED. Ventilation: OUTDOOR USE ONLY. DON'T USE INDOORS OR POORLY VENT AREAS Protective Gloves: RUBBER/PVC Eye Protection: GOGGLES Other Protective Equipment: WEAR APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE & OTHER IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL. Suppl. Safety & Health Data: MSDS DATE: 07/19/85 =========================================================================== Transportation Data =========================================================================== =========================================================================== Disposal Data =========================================================================== Disposal Data Action Code: A Disposal Data Review Date: 90094 Rec # For This Disp Entry: 01 Tot Disp Entries Per NSN: 001 Landfill Ban Item: YES Disposal Supplemental Data: HMIS RATING:HEALTH-0,FLAMMABILITY-4, REACTIVITY-0. IN CASE OF ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE OR DISCHARGE, CONSULT HEALTH AND SAFETY FILE FOR PRECAUTIONS. 1st EPA Haz Wst Code New: D001 1st EPA Haz Wst Name New: IGNITIBLE 1st EPA Haz Wst Char New: IGNITABILITY 1st EPA Acute Hazard New: NO =========================================================================== Label Data =========================================================================== Label Required: NO * Label Status: X * Common Name: LABEL COVERED UNDER EPA REGS - HAZCOM LABEL NOT AUTHORIZED * ======================================================================= URL for this msds http://hazard.com/.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Please ask your source EXACTLY what police department gave that advice. (a) Wasp spray can kill someone. I do not think there is a constitutionally protected right against posioning someone in self defence. (b) Wasp spray is dangerous to have in an enclosed space. If someone breaks into your office and you spray them -- guess who else in the room is breathing poison?

This is total and unadulterated bullshit that can get someone in a whole heap of trouble.