Dust Masks

[Wild Weasel]

The topic on safety glasses got me thinking about this.

When is it necessary to wear a dust mask and what sorts of things can really hurt you?

I went out and bought some masks after working in my attic and breathing in a bunch of that fluffy spray insulation stuff. It wasn't very nice.

Then, while working on my shower and breaking up the old drywall, I had my rigged-up shop vac bag come loose so the whole room filled up with drywall dust. Breathing that probably wasn't too healthy, but is it terribly harmful like asbestos (obviously not THAT bad) or something?

When is it really crucial to wear a mask as opposed to just avoiding the unpleasantness of coughing up crap for a couple hours after the job?

[ComaxTools]

I think you just answered your own question. If you are coughing up crap for 2 hrs after I think you should wear a dust mask. I was doing some drywall demo on the weekend and put a mask on, when I took it off it had about 1/16" of dust stuck to it. This would have gone into my lungs. I don't know if drywall dust is toxic but I don't want it in my lungs.

Just a thought

[Woussko]

WW

If you were caughing up stuff for 2 hours you better get medical help fast. A few lung X-rays are in order. If nothing else, please do visit your doctor and ask questions.

[Wild Weasel]

I may be exaggerating a bit with the "coughing up" part but I was definitely tasting it for at least an hour afterwards.

Is that sort of limited exposure really a problem? I mean, if I was working with drywall everyday for a living, it's obviously an issue but is this sort of minimal exposure going to be a problem?

I went and bought the fine dust filter for the vac and won't be messing with the bags anymore.

[Josh]

I tore apart my attic and breathed in all kinds of old insulation and dirt and tar. Probably the equivalent of smoking 50 packs of cigs. Now I wish I would have taken the time to put a mask on. When I have black snot of more than a day or so I really know I shoulda worn a mask.

Live (hopefully for a long time) and Learn.

Josh

[Bob D.]

Here's a simple rule of thumb;

If it's bad enough that you have to think about wearing some type of respiratory protection, then YOU NEED PROTECTION.

When that crud gets in your lungs some of it will be expelled by coughing, or absorbed and carried out of the lungs, but a good portion of it will stay there. It will stick to your lungs and irritate you (make you cough). Your lung will try to remove it and if it can't then it will encapsulate it (surround it with tissue which will eventually scar) to remove the annoyance. That means that small area of your lung can no longer function to process air and move oxygen in and CO2 out. Multiply this times a couple hundred thousand particles and your lung capacity is reduced, and just like a smoker it probably will not be recovered. Also like hearing loss the affect is cumulative. So a "little dust won't hurt me today" and some more tomorrow and then some more next week adds up to do real damage after a few episodes.

Least that's the way I see it.

If only I/we had known all that back in the 70s (pre OSHA) when I spent hour after hour grinding carbon and stainless steel fitting pipe. I would go through a least a dozen 4.5" grinding wheels in an 8 hour shift. WE didn't have any respirators let alone being taught anything about the need to use them for this type of work. And we were not in the shop working on the bench either, we were out in the field where you were not always in the best position so you ended up with the metal filings and grinding wheel dust all over you. I would get home and have the cr*p in my socks and everywhere else! No fun I can tell you that.

[woodenstickers]

I just try to stay out of the sunbeams--that's where the dust always is! But really, I think you should use the protection whenever you can, it doesn't hurt and the alternative might. I have a buddy who works for an asbestos defense law firm (I knew him before he sold his soul) and they "win" several cases a year when the plantif dies. Then I hear from my mom and pop that when they were kids they used asbestos to make ashtrays in elementary school art class--including mixing the powder into clay--and so far so good for them knock on wood.
Bottom line, why risk it if it doesn't even get you high?:eek:

[hellcatt200]

I did everything drywall for 10solid years then got into finishing only for another 3. I never used a mask because i sweat ALOT and it always fell off so i said forget it.After a few years of not doing that line of work , I feel it in my coughs now and then. Of course smoking for over 20 years dont help i know, but not being taught to wear safty gear and just doing the work to me is ignorant.Time is one no one will ever get back so teach the proper or at least try to support the safty way of doing things. Now i have 22% less oxygen to use so says the doctor. I always wear proper safty gear now. I love life and most importantly, the wife and kids. Please pass on safety to anyone who needs it. I am still young for most part and to have 22% less oxygen is a BAD thing at the age of 33. So to anyone who asks.....wear the safty gear because it will work. ( yeah i know smoking for over 20 years and only 33 wow! ) I am youngest of 10 kids and older siblings were bad influence. I started at age 11 and will never forget that day. ( where is the time machine so i can go back and slap myself!)

[woodenstickers]

...I love life and most importantly, the wife and kids...

You said it. If we find it hard to do it for ourself which I think we all might from time to time, do it for those that love us. Hope that you can shake that smoking habit. I know it's hard. If not I hope it doesn't catch up to you, sometimes it doesn't. I used that pill and the flu as a jump off to quit, so far so good. I have to admit I miss it sometimes though.

[oldslowchevy]

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/images/misc/subscribed.gif 6 months and 1 day ago (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10228) i am doing this and you can too and please note that i said i am doing not did since each day has to be taken as it comes, and good luck to you

[franklin pug]

I have been woodworking for only about a year, and this forum has helped me incredibly with regards to safety (as well as my cabinet making class and various other seminars).

Eye protection has always been a must, but for a while i neglected my hearing. I bought a 25db reducing set of muffs last month and made sure they were comfortable before I bought them. I wear them whenever a tool is on now.

Then feeling safe, I never thought about my lungs. Blowing out my shop with a compressor and never thought about my lungs breathing in all that MDF and wood dust. Stupid. Now I have a woodworkers respirator which is certified for N95. Its AMAZING. Don;t even know I'm wearing it and it doesnt interfere with muffs or goggles (including fogging them up). The respirator has replaceable filters. Here is a link to the mask. Pretty cheap too - only 20.00 bucks CDN (canadian tire, HD sells them).

http://www.aosafety.com/diy/resp_detail.cfm?con_prod_num=95190&con_family_id=6&con_platform_id=1

Stay safe - nothing else really matters.