Respirators for Shop dust? Help
I have asthma and other lung issues and last week had to work in a shop building box beams for a restaurant.
Tough on my bad lungs.
Best face mask style respirator?
Whats you favorite?
“Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more.”…Seneca
Replies
"Best" would be one that supplies air.
I do OK with a couple of the (heavy) half-masks, variety of filters available. If you settle for one, make sure you get the right size.
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3m(wc) ban0977 rc6211 dual cartridge respirators , your set with this model. stay safe!
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If your going to be working only infrequently in the shop, go with the half face dual cartridge mask. If you anticipate working in the shop on a regular basis they have so called "powered" respirator systems that are definitely the way to go. Powered systems have battery powered fans that suck air past the filter and blow a constant stream of air into the mask. You wear a battery pack on a belt around your waist which also has a motor and filter system next to each other and a hose that feeds air to the mask. Not cheap, anywhere from $300 to $600, but just like wearing no mask at all. Some of the powered models have 110 volt motors that supply the filtered air, again very good for frequent and long term use. Go to
http://www.lss.com (Lab Safety Supply) ... they'll send you a catalog if you desire or just go online to view their offering of various respirators.
woodway ,
Thanks for the link. I need to pick up something this weekend for next week.
I will look into the powered full face ones though for long term for my own shop ."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
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No beard, and working in a shop is a on again off again issue. Usually I am being a super, but got drafted into the shop work to relieve a backlog of work ."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
I have asthma too as well as chronic sinusitis. The only way that I can stay healthy enough to work is by wearing a respirator all day long everyday. For the last 8 yrs. or so, I've been wearing 3M's folding N95 rated masks. They make 2 models, with and without exhalation valves. I use the valveless in cooler weather to save $, they're about half the price. These are comfortable, durable masks. I get about 3 days out of one. Cost- about 60 cents a day for the one with the valve. The benefit of a high quality disposable mask is that it will not fall out of use because it has become too funky to wear and since they fold they are easy to store. I always have several in the glove box and every morning when I grab my glasses I grab a mask too. These masks also do not interfere with communication and are compatible with face shield, welding helmet, muff type ear pro, etc. When people ask me why I always wear a mask I often say that if I wouldn't want my truck to inhale it why should I.
The model #s are 3M 9211(valve) and 9210(no valve). Worn over a shaven face these afford very substantial protection against very fine dust. I only switch to a cartridge type mask for protection against fumes and do so only when absolutely necessary because of difficulty communicating. In other words, a big part of a mask's effectiveness is determined by its utility: you have to be able to wear it and get through the day unimpeded otherwise it'll end up around your neck or up on your forehead providing at best a part time and false sense of protection.
uroboro, Thanks. I have used the paper disposable ones but have a hard time drawing enough air to keep my lungs from starting to go nuts on me. I use the ones with the exhaust valves but not the specific model you recommend. The ones I have used don't fold like yours. I will try some when I can get some picked up ."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Sounds like in addition to protecting yourself against airborne contaminants you might want to consider other approaches that decrease lung inflammation. Diet and exercise can vastly improve asthma symptoms. The 3M masks when clean and dry do not restrict airflow even when laboring hard. Your asthmatic response to paper masks might go away after you experience the relaxation that comes with ceasing to worry about injuring your lungs. For me what was once a job that always made me ill has become very enjoyable.... I actually very much like finishing drywall now.Asthma though is a complicated business that sits squarely in between one's self and the world and harmonizing the two can be like living with a balky old truck that always runs but never smoothly, always drawing attention to its specific peculiarities.
I use a cartridge type respirator.
I use it when we blow in insulation and always when milling MDF.
MDF really messes with me. If I dont have a mask on, I get a sore throat the next day, guaranteed. The cartridge mask work really good for me.