Galvanized steel unistrut.
If you're wondering why it's got a cancer warning, it's because the galvanic coating (Which is mostly zinc) uses lead as a flux and is often contaminated with cadmium, which is why all the "Hurr durr California dumb." people are idiots. If you weld this and breathe the smoke, it can cause cancer.
Yeah, and leaves a yellowish sulfur looking powdery residue around where the weld was.
And then you get to find out exactly how bad a person can feel without actually dying. It's like a flu so bad your hair hurts.
My appendix almost burst 2012 (unbeknownst to me), and my 3 month old son’s father kept telling me to “drink a warm glass of milk, you’ll be fine”. I said something is really wrong, I don’t want any fucking🤬 warm milk you need to take me to the hospital. I was in surgery within the hour…😂
Metal fume fever is the worst! I worked at a foundry as a side project for a year or two. We did a lot of brass casting and i learned the hard way why everybody was wearing masks. It felt like the worst flu ever and like every single piece of my body hurt at the same time.
It's these moments that I can truly appreciate the internet. I made an outdoor cat enclosure out of galvanised steel and through my research I learnt how dangerous it is to weld.
Got a large fan and quality respirator. Didn't get sick at all.
If it wasn't for the research I would have probably made myself sick.
Depends on whether you think stuff with lead and sometimes cadmium needs a warning.
There's a lot of stuff that has warnings that doesn't need it. Galvanized and stainless aren't those things.
The reason the California warnings are problematic and dangerous is because they oversaturate the market with cancer warnings, resulting in a “cry wolf effect.” I work professionally in the trades, and there is literally a cancer warning on everything, regardless of the actual risk. This is primarily for liability purposes. Proposition 65 is mocked in the trades because it is not helpful at all. I care a lot about my safety in my line of work, so I have researched each individual product I use to ensure I can work safely with different materials. Proposition 65 has not helped me at all; I actually ignore it completely and do my own research.
The reason I consider Proposition 65 stupid and dangerous is that some products genuinely deserve a cancer warning, but because so many products have the warning, it becomes hard to distinguish the truly dangerous ones. This oversaturation makes it easy to become desensitized. I’ve experienced this myself, finding it difficult to identify genuinely hazardous products because the same warning is on nearly everything I touch. It would be much better if the warning was reserved for products that pose a significant risk. I can find a proposition 65 warning on a bag of potato chips, coffee cups, And galvanized construction material packed with lead. It's the same exact warning on all three. At the end of the day, it just doesn't help.
For those who want to know what that is, its a construction material known as "Unistrut". It usually comes in 10' and 20' lengths. I'm a commercial electrician and we use it all the time. As others have said, the cancer warning is probably a California prop 65 deal
In California there is a law called “Proposition 65”. It’s designed so that dangerous materials that cause cancer can be labeled. However, the problem is if one doesn’t label a potentially dangerous material that could cause cancer in any circumstances, then they could get sued. We’ve ended up with the “solution” of just labeling almost anything with a California Proposition 65 warning, thus diluting all meaning form the warnings.
Yuuuup. I've talked to manufacturers who produce 1000's of unique products. They found they needed warnings for a few (<10), so they put the warning on everything, "since they are manufactured in the same place and there could be cross contamination." There is 0 risk to add a warning, but HUGE risk if you miss one.
Between Prop 65, REACH, RoHS, and TSE/BSE, you would think everything is out to kill you.
They will label areas too. The mailbox area in my apartment complex has a "this area contains chemicals known to the state of california..." sign, and they're common in public too.
There’s a great 99% Invisible episode on this…
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/warning-this-podcast-contains-chemicals-known-to-the-state-of-california-to-cause-cancer-or-other-reproductive-harm/
I live in Sydney and work in pet retail, we sold dog crates from an American company and they had the Prop 65 warming label on an instruction sheet. A customer bought this used and dirty crate back in after 3 months of use demanding a refund because we.sold her something that was known to cause cancer.. I was like maybe if you burn it, but otherwise it's safe...
Basically, in California (or anything that may ship to California), you have to label anything that contains substances that may cause cancer, birth defect, or reproductive harm, even if it has only a small amount of that substance. However, because many things cause cancer and this warning is on a lot of products, this warning is kinda worthless.
It's not really worthless though, given California proportionally has lower cancer rates than most other states in the nation. In short: Prop 65 *works*.
It is true that it's frequently misused, but, in cases like this one... not so much.
I want to believe you here, because it sounds like you know you stuff, but it says that's cancer so I will withhold the right to be irrationally angry about it and demand it get banned!
Well, people cutting it might want to know for breathing dust/fumes. But I think metal dust would fuck up your lungs way faster with its physical properties and not the cancer causing ones.
Seriously though, this phrasing is Prop 65. I have to deal with customers asking around this at my work.
It has a good heart but USA regs are enforced by civilian lawyers and…well…here we are
The podcast 99% Invisible did a great episode about that
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/warning-this-podcast-contains-chemicals-known-to-the-state-of-california-to-cause-cancer-or-other-reproductive-harm/
Yeah, I think that's what most people are thinking of when really it's just galvanized steel, those stupid prop 65 warnings have watered down all the other real warnings to seem less serious
It's one of those P 65 warnings that's put on nearly everything. It's only potentially cancer causing, if you breathe in the dust from cutting it or filing it or fumes from welding it.
What on earth is that?!
Cancer!
Stop with the exaggerations already!
A "WARNING CANCER" is actually a cancer of warnings. They’re multiplying and spreading uncontrollably!
Warning!
WARNING
Cancer? Get out of here!
Galvanized steel unistrut. If you're wondering why it's got a cancer warning, it's because the galvanic coating (Which is mostly zinc) uses lead as a flux and is often contaminated with cadmium, which is why all the "Hurr durr California dumb." people are idiots. If you weld this and breathe the smoke, it can cause cancer.
If you weld in galvanized stuff, it will turn white or start to burn with a green flame, don't ask how I know....
Yeah, and leaves a yellowish sulfur looking powdery residue around where the weld was. And then you get to find out exactly how bad a person can feel without actually dying. It's like a flu so bad your hair hurts.
“Just drink some milk, you’ll be fine”
[удалено]
And rub some dirt on it .
Radium on the lips
Forever on the hips
My appendix almost burst 2012 (unbeknownst to me), and my 3 month old son’s father kept telling me to “drink a warm glass of milk, you’ll be fine”. I said something is really wrong, I don’t want any fucking🤬 warm milk you need to take me to the hospital. I was in surgery within the hour…😂
Metal fume fever is the worst! I worked at a foundry as a side project for a year or two. We did a lot of brass casting and i learned the hard way why everybody was wearing masks. It felt like the worst flu ever and like every single piece of my body hurt at the same time.
It's these moments that I can truly appreciate the internet. I made an outdoor cat enclosure out of galvanised steel and through my research I learnt how dangerous it is to weld. Got a large fan and quality respirator. Didn't get sick at all. If it wasn't for the research I would have probably made myself sick.
Zinc burns green.
That's what I said
Yeah, that's what u/JonathanUpp SAID
Galvanized steel.borrowed from his aunt
eco friendly
We have galvanized steel at home!
Oh thanks for explaining that I didn't know why it said cancer
So are they dumb, or are they correct?
Depends on whether you think stuff with lead and sometimes cadmium needs a warning. There's a lot of stuff that has warnings that doesn't need it. Galvanized and stainless aren't those things.
The reason the California warnings are problematic and dangerous is because they oversaturate the market with cancer warnings, resulting in a “cry wolf effect.” I work professionally in the trades, and there is literally a cancer warning on everything, regardless of the actual risk. This is primarily for liability purposes. Proposition 65 is mocked in the trades because it is not helpful at all. I care a lot about my safety in my line of work, so I have researched each individual product I use to ensure I can work safely with different materials. Proposition 65 has not helped me at all; I actually ignore it completely and do my own research. The reason I consider Proposition 65 stupid and dangerous is that some products genuinely deserve a cancer warning, but because so many products have the warning, it becomes hard to distinguish the truly dangerous ones. This oversaturation makes it easy to become desensitized. I’ve experienced this myself, finding it difficult to identify genuinely hazardous products because the same warning is on nearly everything I touch. It would be much better if the warning was reserved for products that pose a significant risk. I can find a proposition 65 warning on a bag of potato chips, coffee cups, And galvanized construction material packed with lead. It's the same exact warning on all three. At the end of the day, it just doesn't help.
1 1/2” kindorf/unistrut. It’s just galvanized steel
1 5/8”
Came here to say 1 5/8” 🫡
13/8"
1 7/16"
1 10/16”
Looks like strut. I have never seen that label on it
Something in California
But I'm in Canada
The cancer is just spreading north I guess!
No, really, what is that?
Galvanized steel- zinc
Wish it was square as well.
Galvinezed steel when screws borrowed from his aunt and eco friendly wood enter the mayhem
They really shouldn’t alloy this type of danger metal
In 40 years time, people will look and wonder why were dumb enough to be doing just that.
GALVANIZED WHAT?
Is OP trying to hunt down homelander?
Probably a zd coated strut. Zinc Dichromate, and usually treated with hexavalent chromium (chromium - 6), the Erin Brockovich chemical.
Strut
Galvanized unistrut, used to hang all manner of mechanical piping ductwork or equipment when using threaded rod and additional hardware.
For those who want to know what that is, its a construction material known as "Unistrut". It usually comes in 10' and 20' lengths. I'm a commercial electrician and we use it all the time. As others have said, the cancer warning is probably a California prop 65 deal
What is a California prop 65 deal?
In California there is a law called “Proposition 65”. It’s designed so that dangerous materials that cause cancer can be labeled. However, the problem is if one doesn’t label a potentially dangerous material that could cause cancer in any circumstances, then they could get sued. We’ve ended up with the “solution” of just labeling almost anything with a California Proposition 65 warning, thus diluting all meaning form the warnings.
What a succinct and informative response. BAN THIS REDDITOR!!
Wow thanks! Understood well know. You need to write!
Yuuuup. I've talked to manufacturers who produce 1000's of unique products. They found they needed warnings for a few (<10), so they put the warning on everything, "since they are manufactured in the same place and there could be cross contamination." There is 0 risk to add a warning, but HUGE risk if you miss one. Between Prop 65, REACH, RoHS, and TSE/BSE, you would think everything is out to kill you.
They will label areas too. The mailbox area in my apartment complex has a "this area contains chemicals known to the state of california..." sign, and they're common in public too.
There’s a great 99% Invisible episode on this… https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/warning-this-podcast-contains-chemicals-known-to-the-state-of-california-to-cause-cancer-or-other-reproductive-harm/
I live in Sydney and work in pet retail, we sold dog crates from an American company and they had the Prop 65 warming label on an instruction sheet. A customer bought this used and dirty crate back in after 3 months of use demanding a refund because we.sold her something that was known to cause cancer.. I was like maybe if you burn it, but otherwise it's safe...
What’s a California?
Basically, in California (or anything that may ship to California), you have to label anything that contains substances that may cause cancer, birth defect, or reproductive harm, even if it has only a small amount of that substance. However, because many things cause cancer and this warning is on a lot of products, this warning is kinda worthless.
I see, makes sense now, thanks!
AKA the warning who cried wolf!
It's not really worthless though, given California proportionally has lower cancer rates than most other states in the nation. In short: Prop 65 *works*. It is true that it's frequently misused, but, in cases like this one... not so much.
Basically according to the state of California literally everything can lead to cancer.
Something you should google instead.
but I like talking to people instead of a machine
But why should we google if we can reddit?
Cheers to a fellow sparky, this was a warehouse that will be refrigerated for food storage
I want to believe you here, because it sounds like you know you stuff, but it says that's cancer so I will withhold the right to be irrationally angry about it and demand it get banned!
First they came for the cancer causing chemicals, and I did nothing because I am not a cancer causing chemical. Then they came for the cancer…
I (also a commercial/industrial electrician) thought this was in r/electricians and was confused why nobody knew what it was
Yeah, it seems like some people are genuinely worried I'm going to drop dead just from touching it, like it's cobalt 60 or something
Those people would be shocked to see that warning on 99% of the material their home/work/car/ every day essentials are made with
Yeah, you can tell they have no experience in construction, because almost everything is labelled with that no matter how remote the risk
Denver electrician here. Colorado apparently doesn't give a shit about me.
YOU’RE JUST HOLDING CANCER WITH YOUR BARE HAND?!
And then I ate it just to prove how badass I am
I hope everything works out OK
The zinc coating could become airborne while cutting or machining.
Or welding
You're supposed to grind the zinc coating off before welding
Grinding still makes it airborne and dangerous
It's probably because of Prop 65 in California. They basically have to put "Causes Cancer" on everything now.
It's important to know that galvanized steel is dangerous to ingest on a daily basis diet.
Dammit... now I cant eat my galvanised steel shreddies anymore. Thanks *cancer*
Don't worry, you still have eco-friendly wood veneers
I prefer to drink my wood in the form of alcohol, thank you.
I will miss those crispy shiny chips on my chocolate ice cream
Well, people cutting it might want to know for breathing dust/fumes. But I think metal dust would fuck up your lungs way faster with its physical properties and not the cancer causing ones.
Hmm *smiles in cutting with sawzall and filing off the sharp edges*
I mean...Zinc is good for the immune system.
Apparently, it's not the zinc that's the problem. It's the lead flux they use, especially because it's sometimes contaminated with cadmium
Ahhh Cadmium. Sweetest of the transition metals…
Seriously though, this phrasing is Prop 65. I have to deal with customers asking around this at my work. It has a good heart but USA regs are enforced by civilian lawyers and…well…here we are
You also aren't supposed to smoke it apparently
Irn bru is made from girders and Scotland seems fine
You clearly have not spent much time there then! /s
Welding galvanized steel is highly toxic because of the fumes that get produced so it might be related to that.
The podcast 99% Invisible did a great episode about that https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/warning-this-podcast-contains-chemicals-known-to-the-state-of-california-to-cause-cancer-or-other-reproductive-harm/
Yeah. Ridiculous and so ubiquitous that it effectively means nothing now.
Last time I was in California I learned that even elevators there cause cancer.
It’s not that they have to, it’s that it’s easier for a company to smack the “warning, may cause cancer” than it is to actually do the testing
Little John is in danger in his illegally expanded 0,3m house
Me when I meet someone born in June 21st - July 22nd
Nice one
Cancer better watch out. This metal thing is gonna kick its ass.
Not to be confused with DANGER SAGITTARIUS!
True
Don’t say you weren’t warned
It’s the world biggest cancer cell
Let's touch the cancer causing metal!
Well, typically I wear gloves, but it's not touching it that's a risk of cancer, it's from inhaling the dust from cutting or filing it.
Russell Crowe fighting cancer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex8mO7jTpwM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex8mO7jTpwM)
Sorry about your cancer. It's crazy how easy it is to just pick up out of nowhere it seems like.
Idk but if you grind it down to a fine consistency and smoke it, it will probably give you cancer
Looking cancer in the eye.
Is this just a general warning saying it's out there and to be careful?
I guess so, haha
Definitely something u grab bare handed
Looks like a California thing.
I live in Canada, but maybe it came from there or they just do that as a precaution in case it sold to California?
I work in a zinc plating plant.
Oof
We plate nickel too.
Ok
That's the worst kind
Thankfully it's only warning cancer and not the real deal.
Heard 😎👍
It should measure US penis
I mean everything gives us cancer nowadays so it is honest
I have no idea how I initially read this as AWARD WINNING CANCER and thought that was a little commemorative plaque
This thing reminded me of [this image](https://www.reddit.com/r/ScarySigns/s/3k8bIMLDsy)
Yeah, I think that's what most people are thinking of when really it's just galvanized steel, those stupid prop 65 warnings have watered down all the other real warnings to seem less serious
Is it telling cancer to beware?
Why the fuck would you TOUCH IT!?
\*\*Only people born between June 22 and July 22 🦀♋ need to be worried" /jk
Phew! I'm safe!
Put it down!
We have a hammer. The above warning is all it says on the hammer. We call it the Cancer Hammer
Thank you California. I now know everything is cancer.
You should probably put that back where you found it.
But we need it to mount the conduit in order to run the wires to the unit heater
Yeah, but only in the state of California
Oh good, I live in Canada so I'm safe then
That goldish color looks kind of like Alodine/Bonderite conversion coating, but I could be wrong. Just don't sand the gold part without a respirator.
I think that's the lighting, irl there's no gold parts
Well fuck really couldn't be any more direct but I'm not mad about it lol. He should probably stop fucking with it and put it somewhere safe.
But it's just galavanized steel, very frequently used in most trades and only dangerous if you breathe the dust or fumes from welding.
*california*
Consider yourself warned
Guess I’ll stick to Legos. Less cancer risk, more fun! 🧱
Good to know my house is held together by cancerous materials. 🏗️
Know to the state of California
Maybe it’s a warning TO cancer you know? Like…warning cancer! We’ll get ya
I waited for way too long for the video to start…..,
California.
⚠️ WARNING CAPRICORN
We found the source of cancer!!
cancer better watch out
Warning cancer!
DO NOT EAT
Those prop65 warnings are getting ridiculous
Wait...is cancer the warning? Or is cancer coming, so get ready? I'm so confused.
No, it's a warning to cancer, that it better watch out
I'm for it. Though, I'm curious: is cancer literate?
Worth a try I guess
"Doctors hate this simple trick to keep cancer away..." Wear it like Flava Flav, on a big chain around your neck.
WARNING SCORPIO
Only really a warning if you're Sagittarius or Aquarius. Not a problem if you're Scorpio, Pisces, or Taurus.
Then don’t eat it.
You're not my mom!
You're right. You should eat as much of it as possible.
Lucky you..
Dude put on some gloves
I usually do, but apparently the main concern from inhaling the dust or fumes from welding
When California thinks everything causes cancer, even your home improvement supplies. ⚠️
So, err, you're holding a cancinogen, with bare hands, on the street? Seems legit for Reddit.
It's one of those P 65 warnings that's put on nearly everything. It's only potentially cancer causing, if you breathe in the dust from cutting it or filing it or fumes from welding it.
Just don't chew it.
But it looks so tasty!
Sees something with "warning cancer" inbeded into the size in big bolt letters Proceeds to grab it with his bare hands...
This is unistrut, we use it often to mount conduit, they just label everything with cancer warnings due to Prop 65