Protective measures for Pyrocat HD?

[Doremus Scudder]

Nitrile gloves, lab apron, glasses and ventilation over my darkroom sink are standard for me when using pyro developers. For less-toxic things I'll remove the gloves. I develop film by hand in trays. For prints I use tongs 90% of the time. I'll put on the gloves for selenium toning if I need to use my hands.

Most important, however, is to know what the specific risks are with the chemicals you use and handle them appropriately.

Pyro absorbs through the skin, so avoiding skin contact with both the raw chemicals, and stock and working solutions is paramount. If you mix from powder, airborne particles are a problem and need a solution. Some pre-packaged kits can be mixed "underwater" so to speak, i.e., snip a corner of the packet and submerge it in when pouring. You can pour out most of the chemical with no dust then rinse the packet with water to get the rest. If you're mixing from bulk chemicals, then you should really have a mask/respirator, goggles and adequate ventilation (or mix outdoors).

Clean-up is equally important. Chemicals splash around and can get into the most far-flung places. A larger tray of water under the developer tray can catch a lot of splashes and functions as a temperature buffer as well. Rinse well, wipe things down after processing and mop the floor often.

Understanding what exactly you need prevents uncertainty and overkill.

Best,

Doremus

[j.e.simmons]

Of course, Pyrocat HD doesn’t have pyro in it.

[koraks]

As I understand, both pyrogallol and pyrocatechol are capable of penetrating the skin. Arguably that would imply that hydroquinone would do the same. Hence, the same safety precautions could be taken for all three, which means that they would also be relevant for regular HQ developers.
The pyrocatechol that I buy comes in the former of flakes instead of a powder which helps a bit in preventing it from dusting around.

[Tin Can]

http://www.pyrocat-hd.com/html/mixing.html

[Steve Sherman]

As I understand, both pyrogallol and pyrocatechol are capable of penetrating the skin. Arguably that would imply that hydroquinone would do the same. Hence, the same safety precautions could be taken for all three, which means that they would also be relevant for regular HQ developers.
The pyrocatechol that I buy comes in the former of flakes instead of a powder which helps a bit in preventing it from dusting around.

I buy the individual ingredients as I have done since 2000, use a lot of it and it is much more cost effective. For more casual use I would use the packaged in Glycol version and not worry as I do when mixing the with the Pyrocathecol which comes in flakes. I use nitrile gloves, eye protection and a nice 3M respirator, why take a chance.