respirator questions

D

dan w

Member
I will be starting my build this summer (once Sam finishes the plans) and I'm getting all of my info together. Thanks to everyone who's posted ideas, pics, suggestions, techniques and hints!

Today in the Harbor Freight email, they list the Arc One Air Shield Respirator system for $50. I don't know anything about respirators, but I was thinking that maybe a full face respirator would be better then a mask and goggles. Any thoughts on this or other respirators?

Thanks

Dan
 
get one that fits!!!!!! try it on. no facial hair. do positive and negative pressure test - hand over intake, suck in: hand over exhaust, blow out. should have no leaks! Full face = hot in warm environs, but convenient. It is your lungs - you get what you pay for. go with Scott, North or MSA - half or full, your preference. Each brand fits differently.
 
Airshield systems are not the same kind of resiparator we use in the Haz-Waste industry. They are a powered air purifying respirator (some are not purifying) that produces positive pressure inside a hood system that incorporates baffles that seal the face shield around your face. They are typically used in sand blasting or welding operations where engineering controls such as fans and ventilation can not remove the particulates to below OSHA standards.

Most of these systems run $250 or more for a self contained unit. Finding one for $50 I would doubt that it is a complete system. Arc One is the top of the line in the industry so they would not be giving them away.

I midigated my dust generation by buying a 20 foot section of sump pump discharge hose from Lowes and duct taping it to the shop-vac and to the dust port on the random orbit sander. I used a sheet rock filter bag inside the shop-vac and enjoyed a dust free atmosphere for most of the sanding on the BBIII. I have spent months in a full face respirator and anytime I can rig a system to keep me out of one I will do it. Cleaning the dust off the face shield every few minutes so that you can see what you are sanding will be frustrating.
 
Dan,
I'm not an expert on PPE but it all depends on what you are going to be doing as to what size particulates you need to keep or filter out. You could get away with someting as cheap as a Niosh approved m 95 paper mask (getting scarce because of Swine flu scares). Powered air purifying respirators supply positive pressure and maybe some of the safest. They are very expensive and you would need training on how to use them.

If you can, consult OSHA regs and that may help you decide. Or call some agency that is involved in asbestos and lead remediation and they might be able to put you on the right track.

Best,
Harry
 
Thanks guys. I was thinking a face shield system would be better for fumes and dust compared to a respirator and goggles, but not knowing much, I figured I'd ask. The closest HF is about an hour from me, so before I drove there to look at it, I wanted to know what to look for.
 
If it were me, I call a local safety supply distributor and ask them for their advice. Call a McMaster Carr or Grainger and tell them what you want to do. They'll get you the right equipment.

To me, a PAPR (powered respirator) is overkill for what you want to do. There are many choices available that are cheaper and more readily available. Powered air repsirators can have their own problems if not a good quality product. They need to meet standards and if it isn't clearly labelled as to what standards they meet, run away from them.

The reputable companies will have all sorts of info that you can search yourself. Here is 3M's site as a good starting point. There should also be a phone number listed to contact a real person.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Health/Safety/Products/Catalog?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LES9MG812H2_nid=8G2B3GV59PbeF3RH7CD92Ngl

Mark W
 
Dan, Trip's advice about getting one that fits is worth repeating. Try it on and check for leaks.

I don't know what your budget will be but for my money I will order a couple of 3M, 7500 series half facepiece respirators again in a heartbeat. They direct the exhaust down and away from your face shield, welding mask etc. I can run my face shield tight against it and no fogging.(Face shield or Glasses) Man I like that. I wear the respirator more because of that ability. A couple of P100 filters for dust and a couple of cartridges for painting etc. and you are good to go.

I have the 3M 6000 full mask but only wear it when painting bottom paint or any one pack paint when I know I will be wearing some home. Oh yeah, grinding fiberglass on my back will bring out the full mask too.

My North full mask supplied air system is reserved for any atmosphere that will not support life at all.

Hope this helps,
Eric
 
All of this helps, thanks!

I did give myself a good budget for this project because I knew I would need other supplies/safety equipment. But at the same time, I don't want to spend more then I have to while still having good protection. Especially since I don't see me doing a large amount of FG work after this is done, beside normal upkeep. I know that I and whoever is helping me (brother and or dad) will need protection. Both of them have decent dust protection from their woodworking, but none of us have anything for OV protection. So I may be buying upto 3 of something. Now if they WANT to buy their own, who am I to complain. :)

Thanks again!

Dan

On the bright side, I have time to research and plan (Sam should be done with the plans mid-June/July, and soon to be ex-wife will be moving her stuff out 5/22. That means I can move the rest of the garage stuff to the basement and start on the cradle for the boat. The dual locking casters came today!)
 
I don't care for full face. When I scrape/paint a boat bottom or spray paint my old truck (in the driveway) I use a 3M unit that is rated for fumes, plus I wear gogles. It isn't hard to know if the respirator is working. If you can smell the fumes/dust it isn't!

Depending on what you are doing (& where - outside or inside w/limited ventilation) you can need chemical proof gloves & full covering. Rubber gloves & tyvek coveralls are cheap.
 
"It isn't hard to know if the respirator is working. If you can smell the fumes/dust it isn't! "

Wrong! Odor threshold can be higher than recommended exposure thresholds for some solvents used in these mixes. In other words, some solvents can be harmful at concentrations below what you can smell. Especially if you are doing it over a long application process.
 
Let me correct that and say it is right that if you smell it, your respirator is not working. However, your sense of smell can be sensitized very quickly so you don't recognize the smell or as stated earlier, some solvents can be harmful at concentrations below what you can smell. Therefore, DON"T rely on smell to see if your respirator is working.
 
tgentry

I'm a garage/driveway project guy. I start my projects with a respirator. I use 3M products & I check the specs to make sure they are good for fumes. I figure that with our litigious society a big outfit like 3M isn't going to make broad weak claims.

My son works construction in the summer. He "borrows" my respirators when he has a dusty job. His measure of effectivity is that he doesn't cough all evening when he wears a respirator for dust.
 
Gary - I'm a haz-waste safety & environmental engineer. 3M is a good product among many. The user in this case has the responsibility to make sure they are using the appropriate equipment for the application. As there are no employers involved in home built boats, each builder has to decide what is best for them. My only point was to help anyone that wants to protect themselves and the ones they care about.
 
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