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A comment on Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at work?. Parent comment

Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by DanBC on Sunday September 04, 2016 @07:46AM (#12423857)
> Also, solder fumes aren't toxic!

If the solder has lead the fumes are toxic. If the solder has a rosin flux the fumes are toxic, and the operator needs ventilation to keep exposure below recommended levels.

It's a bad idea to be breathing in the fumes, but obviously this depends on how much you're breathing. At most risk are people who solder all day everyday.

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Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by r3boots on Sunday September 04, 2016 @09:04AM (#12424128)
> If the solder has lead the fumes are toxic.

I encourage you to support this statement. Lead doesn't vaporize at anywhere close to soldering temperatures, and from what I have read there is no lead component to soldering fumes and consequently no exposure through respiration.

Rosin and particularly No-Clean fluxes do pose a respiratory hazard, so fume extraction is a good idea regardless.

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Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by Retric on Sunday September 04, 2016 @10:51AM (#12424604)
Lead in the fumes is still solid particulate matter, but that's sill not something you want in you. It's not likely to be a major issue, but it's not completely safe either.
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Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by rfdave on Monday September 05, 2016 @09:12PM (#12433116)
holding a pencil in one hand that has a tip at 650F isn't completely safe either.
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