Resin safety: gloves, glasses, ventilation and waste

Symptom

Liquid resin has got on your skin or splashed near your eyes, you feel itching or discomfort, or you do not know how to dispose of leftover resin, washing alcohol or stained paper and gloves.

Likely causes, from most to least likely

1. Touching liquid resin, unwashed parts or solvents without nitrile or neoprene gloves.
2. Not wearing safety glasses when washing, removing supports or sanding, when resin can splash or debris can fly.
3. Printing or washing in a closed room with no ventilation.
4. Throwing liquid resin, used alcohol or resin-stained paper down the drain or in the bin without curing it.

Checks to tell which one it is

• Check for resin on your skin, clothes or table, and whether you feel itching or discomfort.
• Check that the room is ventilated and that the printer is not in a closed cupboard or storage room.
• Sort the waste: liquid resin, parts and resin that are already hard, used alcohol and stained paper or gloves.

Before you start

Uncured resin irritates skin and eyes: wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses, ventilate the room and do not look at the UV light. Before taking anything apart or cleaning it, switch the printer off and unplug it, unless a step says otherwise. If in any doubt, stop and ask a professional.

Step-by-step fix

1. If resin gets on your skin

   Wash the area straight away with plenty of soap and water. Do not use alcohol, hand sanitiser or other solvents on your skin.

   Check: No resin or sticky feeling is left on the skin.

   If that does not fix it: If you feel itching or other discomfort, seek medical help and take the resin's safety data sheet with you.

2. If it gets into your eyes

   Seek medical help immediately and follow the first aid given in your resin's safety data sheet.

   Check: A health professional has checked the eye.

   If that does not fix it: If you cannot get there straight away, call the emergency services.

3. Clean up spills with gloves

   Wearing nitrile gloves, soak up the resin with absorbent paper. Leave stained paper and gloves in the sun or under UV light until the resin hardens; then they can go in the bin.

   Check: No sticky residue is left on the table or the floor.

   If that does not fix it: If the spill reached the printer, follow the resin leak sheet.

4. Ventilate and protect yourself

   Print and wash in a ventilated room, never in a closed cupboard or storage room. Wear nitrile or neoprene gloves and safety glasses when washing, removing supports or sanding. Formlabs suggests respiratory protection when sanding.

   Check: The room gets fresh air and you wear gloves and glasses throughout.

   If that does not fix it: If you cannot ventilate well, check the safety data sheet for the respiratory protection you need.

5. Dispose of liquid resin as waste

   Do not pour liquid or partly cured resin down the drain or put it in the bin. Hand it in as chemical waste according to local regulations or, according to Formlabs, let it cure in the sun in a labelled container (1 to 10 days) and throw it away once fully hard. Washed parts and hardened resin can go in the bin.

   Check: No liquid resin is left in bins or in the sink.

   If that does not fix it: Ask the local authorities or a waste management company how to hand it in.

6. Dispose of used alcohol

   Alcohol or solvent with dissolved resin does not go down the drain or in the bin either: ask the local authorities how to dispose of it and check its safety data sheet. Keep containers closed and away from flames and sparks: the vapours are flammable.

   Check: The used solvent is in a closed, labelled container waiting to be handed in.

   If that does not fix it: Ask the local authorities.

Prevention

• Have nitrile gloves, glasses and absorbent paper ready before opening the resin.
• Print in a ventilated room, away from cupboards and closed spaces.
• Label the containers of used resin and solvent and keep them closed.

Still not fixed?

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Printers it applies to

Any resin (MSLA/SLA) 3D printer, from any brand.

Official sources

This guide summarises the official documentation linked here:

• Safety with Formlabs resin products · Formlabs
• Disposing of resin · Formlabs
• Cleaning after a failed print (Form 3/Form 3B) · Formlabs
• SL1/SL1S print removing · Prusa Research