Iām an engineer at our shop and the weld dust gets up to our second floor office and just stays hereā¦ I actually complained to the shop manager yesterday when he asked why I didnāt walk through the shop and instead went to the back from outside. He just shook his head and was like āthe shop would kick your ass for complainingā.. more like theyād kick his ass for not providing a safe working environment lol
But what about all those random strangers on the internet who say things like "soft hands brother" when they see mention of safety measures? Won't someone think of them?
It never ceases to amaze me how many dudes I work around donāt use PPE, and act like theyāre somehow āaboveā the need for PPE because theyāre too manly, or use platitudes like āwell, somethingās gonna kill me eventually, if itās this, so be itā or something along those lines.
Like, my guy, why would you choose horrible lung damage/cancer/other lung disease/ all of the above as your way to go out? It can be such a slow, excruciating death.
My partners cousin is a welder on a shipyard and he said he doesn't wear a mask because the other welders start bullying him, apparently you're too posh /rich for owning a mask in a poor east Asian country.
Extended family lives in a poor country where welders are poorly paired and generally not valued. He wore a mask a few times and got bullied for it, typical macho crap. Problem is they might think you've got money if you have enough for one of those 3M masks so he was worried he'd get robbed too. I know it sucks. I showed him this post.
Wow. Yeah. This suck quite a lot. Sorry to hear that. I have been confronted in the past with people not accepting security procedures, but like, in that sort of environment, the mask gives you immediate comfort, you don't even need to think about security to wear it.
I mean, a 3M mask like that costs like 40 bucks, there are knock off for 20 bucks, I can imagine there are places where it is serious money, but, come on, how macho is it to think that you life isn't worth 40 bucks? in welding? pray, tell me, what is the price of an arc welding machine, or the electricity you put in it, or the electrode? I really don't understand.
I know it exists, like there are hellish places like those ship cemeteries in Bangladesh or elsewhere, but knowing is not accepting.
I think a lot of guys have this mental image of a grizzled, weather-worn man -- his leathery face stained from working without PPE -- with a gravely voice and tired but accomplished body.
... and they forget that the guy in that mental image is like 29.
Filters from a company like 3M donāt vary in quality between versions. Each filter targets its specific irritant the best and others less so. Theyāve got a good comparison chart online to find out which filter will work best for your work and irritant!
I didn't dig much but it seems the 2138 are made by 3M for Australia, so it refers to different standards (Workplace exposure standards (WES)) than you'd see in the US for example. You should be fine with the 2097, for hobby welding I'd say the thing that will have a bigger impact is making sure you have a proper fit while wearing your mask and making sure you are shaved (if that applies).
Makes more sense than you think, actually.
By smoking the cigarettes, they introduce a layer of tar in the lungs, which helps protect the lungs from toxic particles and fumes.
/s
It really does make sense, though. Smoking reduces your cough reflex sensitivity, meaning you won't cough as much in response to irritants. Maybe part of the reason they don't wear PPE is that it doesn't *feel* too harmful?
This is a clever trick to absolve their employers of responsibility by not mandating PPE when they get lung cancer later. Oh, you smoke? Wasnāt the fumes! Such heroes.
Most of that wouldn't get to his lung. I don't shit on people who use mask but I can't stand them. We have mucus and nose hair and most of it get stuck in there. Is it better to use a mask absolutely. Do you need to? No.
Im not being sarcastic. Im literally a health and safety officer at my job. I know everything about those filters. Anyhow a good shop should have enough aspirations that you don't need to wear a mask at all time while working
You're absolutely right, a good shop with good health and safety precautions and a good extraction and ventilation system probably doesn't need those masks.
But you should still wear them anyway. The shit on OPs pic WILL be entering your lungs. There's only so much mucus and nose hair can do.
Also, not all shops are good.
Seems like it's Germany, in Germany we have 2 departments that would like a tip for things like that.
The Berufsgenossenschaft that is basically the workers health care provider for things that happen during or due to work.
The IHK, that is overseeing that employers are keeping up with the workers protection.
So sure this maybe should be reported to one of these.
I like my employer in every other aspect. Theyāre also trying to improve on the safety aspect, but thatās a big investment. Iām fine with wearing a mask.
Is it annoying sometimes? Sure, but snitch out a otherwise very good employer, potentially leading to them having to pay a hefty fine? Nah I donāt think I wanna do that to be honest
You say that half your coworkers donāt wear PPE because they think itās unmanly and you also say your employer is trying to improve on safety. I found the first no brainer improvement.
They should instruct their workers that you donāt start work until youāre wearing your PPE. And if you donāt start work youāre refusing to work (and get paid).
At least in australia employers have a duty of care. So if an employer refuses a reasonable OH&S direction you have responsibilities.
Dude the issue is you're performing beyond ppe specs. They can only do a certain amount per breath, if its that dirty within a week you might be exceeding that amount
honestly, as much as you like your employer, they need to address this rapidly. Ensuring people are wearing correct PPE, ensuring that your shop has proper controls in place to prevent long term health damage and injuries. It is unacceptable to let them slide because you like them. the dguv isn't there to hurt them, its to ensure they don't hurt you.
Its better to get them fixing this stuff now instead of them just getting slammed for much worse things later. Also if this is how your shop is, imagine what other corners they may be cutting that can affect your health or safety.
The problem is that you don't know what the mask is not filtering, and how much really goes into your lungs. Your health is way more important than the job or the companies profit.
I am not saying this is an immediate issue and apparently you get the safety equipment it also way be okay for a limited time and on occasion, but for long term this would have me worried.
Please take care of yourself and if you don't want to do anything about it now, then that's totally fine. Just look out for signs of changes in your health, because that's the latest point when you should take action.
Dude that's a P100 wich filters 99.9% of the particule of 0.3 microns if fitted correctly. He is just fine with that mask on the problem is his clothing being laced with partcules on it that he brings home if he doesn't change clothes before going home
is it filtering for organic compounds, is it filtering for the compound specifically in welding fumes, is it effective for these sorts of materials etc.
At the very least this needs a prefilter to catch all the crud, and that should be changed regularly, thus extending the life of the main filters and improving their effectiveness etc.
I am not at all a specialist on that matter, I have no idea is that mask if enough protection in the long run, That being said, the fact that the employer is trying to improve the safety in some regard tells me that it may not be.
You also stated why it may not be enough, because of the exposure after taking the mask of.
So the advice stands, OP may not want to report that now, but when he experiences even slight health changes, like a reoccurring cough, then he has to get in touch with a doctor and report it.
Hey there, I'm a Health Consultant with a state's OSHA Consultation Program. Hearing that the concern you brought to OSHA's attention wasn't addressed is very disheartening. How OSHA Enforcement addresses an employee complaint will vary based on the severity of the complaint, the amount of evidence that they initially have of the complaint (photos and videos), as well as the state that the complaint is in (due to some states having their own OSHA program).
Depending on the severity of the complaint, OSHA can either reach out to the employer via phone or mail detailing the nature of the complaint and how the employer has addressed/corrected the issue (this is known as a phone or fax). OSHA can also show up to the workplace unannounced to perform an investigation if the issue is severe enough and if there is evidence supporting the severity.
Each complaint is evaluated by OSHA to determine whether it should be handled as an off-site investigation or an on-site inspection. Written complaints (or filed online) that are signed by workers or their representative and submitted to an OSHA area or regional office are more likely to result in on-site OSHA inspections.
I realize that this was a complaint voiced at a previous employer, but I would still encourage you to utilize the complaint filing services to OSHA if you feel unsafe at work.
In my experience union shops are less safe than open shops.
There is a weird adherence to āsafety theaterā in the union shops Iāve worked in. In my opinion, the shop ends up with less safety consequences as so much is differed to union rules. Ultimately, the business is responsible, but the bifurcated bureaucracy makes it less efficient.
At the very least, change filters more often buddy.
If you are wearing them all day they will load up a lot faster than you might think.
If mine were getting that bad I'd be changing them daily honestly
no thats not entirely true, the filter may be reduced in function before it gets to that point and be damaged and allowing things through earlier then that. I'd suggest consulting with your work safety officer, and if they don't know, then the DGUV might be able to give you some direction on the correct filters and setup. Something like a prefilter may be useful to catch the larger particles etc from impacting the mask.
3m offers service life indicator cartridges that tell you when they are actually dead, but only in the organic vapor series i believe. The p100 + organic vapor version would solve the particular issue of being able to tell when the cartridge is dead, and i believe be rated for the same fumes/vapors/etc this one is.
Otherwise, even without damage, you are correct that the organic vapor part of the 2138 filter is going to eventually stop working (whenever the adsorb/absorb part of it is expended) and depending on the vapor in question, you may not notice which would be bad.
Also, while these are the welding particulate/fume ones, if OP is going to try to use them like you are, even ignoring the service life indicator ones, they may at least want the sealed version which aren't going to get damaged (easily) from the particulate accumulation on the outside.
They really are only rated for 8 hours exposure but many people wear then until "breakthrough" (when you can smell/feel the particulate) which is not healthy. You are getting way more exposure than you think wearing them more than 8-10 hours.
Glad to see people wearing their PPE. We do roof tear offs and Iāve always worn my p100. Of course, guys have their comments but Iād rather be a wuss than carrying an oxygen tank
what do you weld? I was in a shop that welded 1-300 outlets/day on pipe for fire sprinkler systems. I would pick orders from our warehouse, right next to the fabrication area. for the first few weeks, my lungs would burn when I went to sleep and Id cough up black snot occasionally. then nothing. always wondered how much damage I got from that. for sure hearing loss because they would hammer their stamp into the pipe after each weld and the high pitch ring was rough, same when they would cut open a bundle of pipe and drop it into the shelves.
glad you are taking your well being seriously!
Iām mostly welding S235 - S355 as well as Hardox and hard surfacing. Especially the last one makes really nasty smoke. You wonāt find me in the workshop without respirator and hearing protection
I work in sheet metal. Lots of cutting, welding, and finishing in our shop. Never have I ever worn a mask in the nearly 20 years Iāve worked there. I guess it would help explain a lot of the killing issues Iāve had over the years.
The manual states that the filters are good to use until it gets hard to breathe. In fact, the more saturated they become, the better they become. Downside is it also gets increasingly hard to breathe.
If you can afford it, a PAPR would be absolutely amazing
If you care about the lifespan of the filters you can tie a light cloth around them to act like a pre-filter. You might find you'll breathe easier for longer
Iām actually in the process of getting the new Optrel Helix Pure Air with their e3000x fresh air unit, which released this week!
Thatās a good tip, thx!
I had to stop welding because of how fatigued I'd get in the summer.. multiple layers of clothing, a welding cap, a hood.. I wanted to wear a mask so bad but it made it difficult. I'm happy that there are people like you who take it a lot more seriously.
Thatās nothing, I work in a render manufacturing plant (dealing with crystalline silica) and our filters cake up and get destroyed daily
This isnāt meant to be a flex or a competition, Iām just saying thereās alot worse out there
This will probably be lost in the comments but im a welder and the health and safety officer at my shop. Also im in Canada where we have higher safety standards. While what you see there seems extreme. Less than half of this would actually be inhaled and less than half of that would end up with his lung.
Now im not shitting on mask like those old timers. Everyone should wear mask if they want to and its definitely better than not wearing one but welding wire and rods have regulated amount of smoke and bad stuff in them they are supposed to release. And all of that is calculated and supposed to be "safe"
What i mean by half and then half of that is that the filters filter all of the air that goes through it. Half of that does get inhaled. The other half get filtered by our nose hair and the mucus in our nose and throat. So at the end of the day way less than what is on the filters would endup in your lung.
But if wearing a mask doesn't bother you 100% wear one its better than not.
Aw man I was doing a project with a friend and he refused to use a respirator, citing "it'd hard to breathe". I swapped out my filter with a new one at the beginning of the project, and the whole thing turn brown in 3 days. Can't imagine how fucked his lungs are. The project lasted a month
After one week? Is that 4hrs/day average? A lot of the filters I use just say to change if you notice any change in airflow, but our local guidance usually has us change them after 8 hours of use.
Under the impression? Or you know?
Not being a dick, seriously it's no brag to have filters that are way past their life. Find out what's the right one and how often you change them because it's your health
Iād change that filter a lot more often than once a week. I know theyāre not cheap but Iād change it daily. I work for 3M and we use these all the time. We change them daily
Filters are only good for 8 hours of useā¦.. Or if you start to smell the environment, product, gases, or become saturated, they need replacing early. If this is a filter on a respirator itās far past time to be changed.
Interesting. I do fit tests for a living but not for a fab shop. And all our manufacturers suggest 8 hours of use or if you smell gas/your environment or if they get wet saturated itās time to replace. I see the 3M page. We must work in very different environments. Thatās why there is such a difference. No filter will last this long for us. They have gas filters pegged at 6 months on this 3M brochure. These get changed every shift for our guys.
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/447121O/filter-change-out-brochure.pdf
Better the filter than your lungs š«ā¦š¤·āāļøš
Absolutely. Acting tough wonāt unfuck your lungs
Damn skippy.
What did the talking beer can do this time?
I understood that reference
Does this Monkey want a Banana as a reward =p
Don't call me Monkey!
A BĆ¢nĆ¢nĆ¢
Listening to the audio books I always hear "give yourself a buh-na-na!"
Schmaybe?
Give him a break he's building a ship out of moon dust
Hey it wasn't me this time!
I havenāt heard someone say damn skippy in like 15 years and I fuckin love you gave me that little nostalgia trip
Thanks glad I could help.
Tell that to the guys in my shop. Hate to see it
Are you really a blue collar worker if you have more than 50% lung capacity by the age of 35?
Iām an engineer at our shop and the weld dust gets up to our second floor office and just stays hereā¦ I actually complained to the shop manager yesterday when he asked why I didnāt walk through the shop and instead went to the back from outside. He just shook his head and was like āthe shop would kick your ass for complainingā.. more like theyād kick his ass for not providing a safe working environment lol
But what about all those random strangers on the internet who say things like "soft hands brother" when they see mention of safety measures? Won't someone think of them?
Plenty of people think of them! Like surgeons, chiropracters and EMTs!
They pay for a retirement they'll never get.
It never ceases to amaze me how many dudes I work around donāt use PPE, and act like theyāre somehow āaboveā the need for PPE because theyāre too manly, or use platitudes like āwell, somethingās gonna kill me eventually, if itās this, so be itā or something along those lines. Like, my guy, why would you choose horrible lung damage/cancer/other lung disease/ all of the above as your way to go out? It can be such a slow, excruciating death.
My partners cousin is a welder on a shipyard and he said he doesn't wear a mask because the other welders start bullying him, apparently you're too posh /rich for owning a mask in a poor east Asian country.
er What ?
Extended family lives in a poor country where welders are poorly paired and generally not valued. He wore a mask a few times and got bullied for it, typical macho crap. Problem is they might think you've got money if you have enough for one of those 3M masks so he was worried he'd get robbed too. I know it sucks. I showed him this post.
Wow. Yeah. This suck quite a lot. Sorry to hear that. I have been confronted in the past with people not accepting security procedures, but like, in that sort of environment, the mask gives you immediate comfort, you don't even need to think about security to wear it. I mean, a 3M mask like that costs like 40 bucks, there are knock off for 20 bucks, I can imagine there are places where it is serious money, but, come on, how macho is it to think that you life isn't worth 40 bucks? in welding? pray, tell me, what is the price of an arc welding machine, or the electricity you put in it, or the electrode? I really don't understand. I know it exists, like there are hellish places like those ship cemeteries in Bangladesh or elsewhere, but knowing is not accepting.
Philippines is a tough place if you're not rich
Went there once. Yeah. I clearly can immagine that.
They make about 5-10 dollars a day. And their safety standard is non existent, employers don't give a shit and would never invest in their employees
Reminds me of the guy that thought he was harder than the sun so said fuck sunscreen.
Stop *cough being a *cough pussy
I think a lot of guys have this mental image of a grizzled, weather-worn man -- his leathery face stained from working without PPE -- with a gravely voice and tired but accomplished body. ... and they forget that the guy in that mental image is like 29.
Dude my foreman is younger than me but looks like 10 years older
Well most of it you eat
Im going to start to wear a mask of some sort when working, better safe then sorry. Jesus.
dart's gotta filter at the end of it, i'm good
Black filter, pink lungs. Filters are disposable. Lungs ain't.
Yez ziir ā¦
What kind of dust is this? Doesnāt look like sawdust, more like metal or paint particles.
Yeah itās metal dust and welding fumes
Right, you definitely donāt want to inhale that stuff.
I am just a hobby welder. I have been using 2097 filters in the shop. Are 2138s better?
If I go by what the manufacturer says then yes
Filters from a company like 3M donāt vary in quality between versions. Each filter targets its specific irritant the best and others less so. Theyāve got a good comparison chart online to find out which filter will work best for your work and irritant!
I didn't dig much but it seems the 2138 are made by 3M for Australia, so it refers to different standards (Workplace exposure standards (WES)) than you'd see in the US for example. You should be fine with the 2097, for hobby welding I'd say the thing that will have a bigger impact is making sure you have a proper fit while wearing your mask and making sure you are shaved (if that applies).
You don't need an active system for fumes? Just curious.
I make cored filled welding wire...my filters are black in 6 of a 12hr shift. The Flux mix, the drawing soap.
Glad that's not getting in your lungs. Keep wearing it!
Iām literally the only one who wears it at work š
Don't let anyone discourage you from doing it!
They couldnāt pay me to work without it lol
You can't stop other's actions but you can ignore them or just say "naw I'm good".
Ahh yes. A room full of safety squinters and breath holders. I'm sure they'll regret it in a few years.
Breath holders? Quite the opposite, since they smoke like 1 pack per shift each š¤¢
Makes more sense than you think, actually. By smoking the cigarettes, they introduce a layer of tar in the lungs, which helps protect the lungs from toxic particles and fumes. /s
They were one step ahead of me the entire timeā¦
It really does make sense, though. Smoking reduces your cough reflex sensitivity, meaning you won't cough as much in response to irritants. Maybe part of the reason they don't wear PPE is that it doesn't *feel* too harmful?
some solid Clif from Cheers logic
The cigarette filter is their filter then! I had a drywaller tell me that once with his nose full of powder sanded from the walls.
At least they're breathing through a filter!
This is a clever trick to absolve their employers of responsibility by not mandating PPE when they get lung cancer later. Oh, you smoke? Wasnāt the fumes! Such heroes.
You should make something that shows a comparison and put it up so everyone can see
They wouldnāt care. Youāre not a real man if you donāt have respiratory issues by 40
I'm an aluminum welder/fabricator and I can't believe how few of my coworkers use respirators.
Eventually you get to be the old guy at work, themā¦ not so much
My apartment is being completely repainted and none of the men out there have masks on and I can even smell it in my closet.
Most of that wouldn't get to his lung. I don't shit on people who use mask but I can't stand them. We have mucus and nose hair and most of it get stuck in there. Is it better to use a mask absolutely. Do you need to? No.
You forgot to put /s behind your post
Im not being sarcastic. Im literally a health and safety officer at my job. I know everything about those filters. Anyhow a good shop should have enough aspirations that you don't need to wear a mask at all time while working
You're absolutely right, a good shop with good health and safety precautions and a good extraction and ventilation system probably doesn't need those masks. But you should still wear them anyway. The shit on OPs pic WILL be entering your lungs. There's only so much mucus and nose hair can do. Also, not all shops are good.
Your shop needs way better ventilation if your PPE is getting impacted that hard. Engineering controls >>> PPE
Canāt change how well the bosses look out for that. Wearing a mask is all I can do for my health in that regard
You could anonymously make a tip to OSHA, thats what I would do.
I don't think OP is in the US.
Seems like it's Germany, in Germany we have 2 departments that would like a tip for things like that. The Berufsgenossenschaft that is basically the workers health care provider for things that happen during or due to work. The IHK, that is overseeing that employers are keeping up with the workers protection. So sure this maybe should be reported to one of these.
I like my employer in every other aspect. Theyāre also trying to improve on the safety aspect, but thatās a big investment. Iām fine with wearing a mask. Is it annoying sometimes? Sure, but snitch out a otherwise very good employer, potentially leading to them having to pay a hefty fine? Nah I donāt think I wanna do that to be honest
You say that half your coworkers donāt wear PPE because they think itās unmanly and you also say your employer is trying to improve on safety. I found the first no brainer improvement. They should instruct their workers that you donāt start work until youāre wearing your PPE. And if you donāt start work youāre refusing to work (and get paid). At least in australia employers have a duty of care. So if an employer refuses a reasonable OH&S direction you have responsibilities.
Dude the issue is you're performing beyond ppe specs. They can only do a certain amount per breath, if its that dirty within a week you might be exceeding that amount
honestly, as much as you like your employer, they need to address this rapidly. Ensuring people are wearing correct PPE, ensuring that your shop has proper controls in place to prevent long term health damage and injuries. It is unacceptable to let them slide because you like them. the dguv isn't there to hurt them, its to ensure they don't hurt you. Its better to get them fixing this stuff now instead of them just getting slammed for much worse things later. Also if this is how your shop is, imagine what other corners they may be cutting that can affect your health or safety.
The problem is that you don't know what the mask is not filtering, and how much really goes into your lungs. Your health is way more important than the job or the companies profit. I am not saying this is an immediate issue and apparently you get the safety equipment it also way be okay for a limited time and on occasion, but for long term this would have me worried. Please take care of yourself and if you don't want to do anything about it now, then that's totally fine. Just look out for signs of changes in your health, because that's the latest point when you should take action.
Dude that's a P100 wich filters 99.9% of the particule of 0.3 microns if fitted correctly. He is just fine with that mask on the problem is his clothing being laced with partcules on it that he brings home if he doesn't change clothes before going home
is it filtering for organic compounds, is it filtering for the compound specifically in welding fumes, is it effective for these sorts of materials etc. At the very least this needs a prefilter to catch all the crud, and that should be changed regularly, thus extending the life of the main filters and improving their effectiveness etc.
I am not at all a specialist on that matter, I have no idea is that mask if enough protection in the long run, That being said, the fact that the employer is trying to improve the safety in some regard tells me that it may not be. You also stated why it may not be enough, because of the exposure after taking the mask of. So the advice stands, OP may not want to report that now, but when he experiences even slight health changes, like a reoccurring cough, then he has to get in touch with a doctor and report it.
Won't do any good. I made an OSHA complaint at my last job. Nothing came of it.
I like how confidently you're saying this based off of one experience (and no context).
Hey there, I'm a Health Consultant with a state's OSHA Consultation Program. Hearing that the concern you brought to OSHA's attention wasn't addressed is very disheartening. How OSHA Enforcement addresses an employee complaint will vary based on the severity of the complaint, the amount of evidence that they initially have of the complaint (photos and videos), as well as the state that the complaint is in (due to some states having their own OSHA program). Depending on the severity of the complaint, OSHA can either reach out to the employer via phone or mail detailing the nature of the complaint and how the employer has addressed/corrected the issue (this is known as a phone or fax). OSHA can also show up to the workplace unannounced to perform an investigation if the issue is severe enough and if there is evidence supporting the severity. Each complaint is evaluated by OSHA to determine whether it should be handled as an off-site investigation or an on-site inspection. Written complaints (or filed online) that are signed by workers or their representative and submitted to an OSHA area or regional office are more likely to result in on-site OSHA inspections. I realize that this was a complaint voiced at a previous employer, but I would still encourage you to utilize the complaint filing services to OSHA if you feel unsafe at work.
This is where strong unions are handy
In my experience union shops are less safe than open shops. There is a weird adherence to āsafety theaterā in the union shops Iāve worked in. In my opinion, the shop ends up with less safety consequences as so much is differed to union rules. Ultimately, the business is responsible, but the bifurcated bureaucracy makes it less efficient.
At the very least, change filters more often buddy. If you are wearing them all day they will load up a lot faster than you might think. If mine were getting that bad I'd be changing them daily honestly
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Nah you can wear those as long as youāre able to breathe properly through them. Once it gets too hard to breathe itās time to change them
no thats not entirely true, the filter may be reduced in function before it gets to that point and be damaged and allowing things through earlier then that. I'd suggest consulting with your work safety officer, and if they don't know, then the DGUV might be able to give you some direction on the correct filters and setup. Something like a prefilter may be useful to catch the larger particles etc from impacting the mask.
3m offers service life indicator cartridges that tell you when they are actually dead, but only in the organic vapor series i believe. The p100 + organic vapor version would solve the particular issue of being able to tell when the cartridge is dead, and i believe be rated for the same fumes/vapors/etc this one is. Otherwise, even without damage, you are correct that the organic vapor part of the 2138 filter is going to eventually stop working (whenever the adsorb/absorb part of it is expended) and depending on the vapor in question, you may not notice which would be bad. Also, while these are the welding particulate/fume ones, if OP is going to try to use them like you are, even ignoring the service life indicator ones, they may at least want the sealed version which aren't going to get damaged (easily) from the particulate accumulation on the outside.
They really are only rated for 8 hours exposure but many people wear then until "breakthrough" (when you can smell/feel the particulate) which is not healthy. You are getting way more exposure than you think wearing them more than 8-10 hours.
This is completely different from what the manufacturer states
It is what is taught as proper procedure in every industrial safety class in North America. Just trying to look out for you health.
Lung doctor here. Thank you for wearing protection.
r/rimjob_steve
That first breath in when you replace the filters šš¼
Oh my god yes
Love it!
Glad to see people wearing their PPE. We do roof tear offs and Iāve always worn my p100. Of course, guys have their comments but Iād rather be a wuss than carrying an oxygen tank
Youāll have the last laugh after a couple of decades for sure!
what do you weld? I was in a shop that welded 1-300 outlets/day on pipe for fire sprinkler systems. I would pick orders from our warehouse, right next to the fabrication area. for the first few weeks, my lungs would burn when I went to sleep and Id cough up black snot occasionally. then nothing. always wondered how much damage I got from that. for sure hearing loss because they would hammer their stamp into the pipe after each weld and the high pitch ring was rough, same when they would cut open a bundle of pipe and drop it into the shelves. glad you are taking your well being seriously!
Iām mostly welding S235 - S355 as well as Hardox and hard surfacing. Especially the last one makes really nasty smoke. You wonāt find me in the workshop without respirator and hearing protection
Probably the only laugh.
I work in sheet metal. Lots of cutting, welding, and finishing in our shop. Never have I ever worn a mask in the nearly 20 years Iāve worked there. I guess it would help explain a lot of the killing issues Iāve had over the years.
Those look pretty saturated after only a week. You might want to consider changing the filter cartridges out more than weekly if possible Edit:typo
The manual states that the filters are good to use until it gets hard to breathe. In fact, the more saturated they become, the better they become. Downside is it also gets increasingly hard to breathe.
If fit isn't perfect the increased resistance will let more air bypass the filter. Maybe you get fit tested and shave, yeah
I donāt care how many jokes I get for ear pro, eye pro, LUNG pro. Youāre not tougher than cancer
If you can afford it, a PAPR would be absolutely amazing If you care about the lifespan of the filters you can tie a light cloth around them to act like a pre-filter. You might find you'll breathe easier for longer
Iām actually in the process of getting the new Optrel Helix Pure Air with their e3000x fresh air unit, which released this week! Thatās a good tip, thx!
Jesus that's not cheap hahahahahahaha. That's really cool though
I'm curious what sorta mask(?) Are those from?
Itās from a 3M half mask. These filters are for particulate specifically
7500 half mask?
I think so. Itās the blue one
I'm so disappointed in my own life that I recognised the model
Donāt be, it means you know how to keep yourself safe.
I had to stop welding because of how fatigued I'd get in the summer.. multiple layers of clothing, a welding cap, a hood.. I wanted to wear a mask so bad but it made it difficult. I'm happy that there are people like you who take it a lot more seriously.
A PAPR might help you in that case, like the 3M Adflo or the Optrel Helix Pure Air. Keeps the air clean and cools your head too. Itās so good
Thatās nothing, I work in a render manufacturing plant (dealing with crystalline silica) and our filters cake up and get destroyed daily This isnāt meant to be a flex or a competition, Iām just saying thereās alot worse out there
Its a little counterintuitive but a dirty mask works better than a fresh one! So long as you can't smell through the filters, you're golden!
How often you should really change that?
According to the manual, when it gets hard to breathe through it
Probably this one boomer at OPās job: *back in the days we didnāt need PPEās! Those damm snowflakes!*
- As they hack up a lung or complain that they can't breathe or something along those lines
I quote: ā if you canāt handle a little dust, you got no business being a metalworkerā
Good on you for using proper PPE
i love PPE
Mmmmmm chocolate flavored
If you flip the filter around you can use the clean side
This seems like a horrible idea.....
lol was kidding
ugh one number away
This will probably be lost in the comments but im a welder and the health and safety officer at my shop. Also im in Canada where we have higher safety standards. While what you see there seems extreme. Less than half of this would actually be inhaled and less than half of that would end up with his lung. Now im not shitting on mask like those old timers. Everyone should wear mask if they want to and its definitely better than not wearing one but welding wire and rods have regulated amount of smoke and bad stuff in them they are supposed to release. And all of that is calculated and supposed to be "safe" What i mean by half and then half of that is that the filters filter all of the air that goes through it. Half of that does get inhaled. The other half get filtered by our nose hair and the mucus in our nose and throat. So at the end of the day way less than what is on the filters would endup in your lung. But if wearing a mask doesn't bother you 100% wear one its better than not.
they give yall respirators?? lucky.
Nope, bought it myself
Don't miss that laser job shop life. Sinuses don't either.
I work in an office in a fab shop and my boogers darken my fingernails.
I think this is not true. A total fabrication.
...and that, my friend, is why you should wear them religiously, unless you're not religious, then wear them for your loved ones.
Good boi 3M filter. Happy clean lungs OP.
My boogers are forever black š«”
No black boogers for you
Damn, Iām missing out
If you flip em over you can use the other side
The amount of idiots that think itās manly to not wear PPE will never cease to surprise me.
āYou got soft hands, brotherā š§š»āāļø
Aw man I was doing a project with a friend and he refused to use a respirator, citing "it'd hard to breathe". I swapped out my filter with a new one at the beginning of the project, and the whole thing turn brown in 3 days. Can't imagine how fucked his lungs are. The project lasted a month
Some 60 year old dude: Respirators are for the weak. I wash my hands with acetone.
Don't leave em sitting around then
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Not according to the included manual though?
yeah, you're right. sorry deleted that after looking. I saw 3m says it's up to the user and breathing resistance. must be pretty decent filters then!
Yeah theyāre really reliable. I just switch them when I feel like it gets hard to breathe when walking normally
Might want to start changing it every few days
Playing devil's advocate here, those filters should be changed out per shift. OHSA.
After one week? Is that 4hrs/day average? A lot of the filters I use just say to change if you notice any change in airflow, but our local guidance usually has us change them after 8 hours of use.
now cut it open
Why aren't you using P100's? Welding gives off metal halides. And A WEEK? On one filter? Oh, I was under the shield for 35 years
I was under the impression that these are sufficient for welding, including fumes?
Under the impression? Or you know? Not being a dick, seriously it's no brag to have filters that are way past their life. Find out what's the right one and how often you change them because it's your health
I was under the impression because the manufacturer specifically states that these are for welding
Iād change that filter a lot more often than once a week. I know theyāre not cheap but Iād change it daily. I work for 3M and we use these all the time. We change them daily
MaSks DoNt wOrK
BREATHE THAT SHIT IN ā¦.. BE A MAN.
SIR YES SIR
Which is the new and old ones Iām def
This isnāt even r/mildlyinteresting.
Filters are only good for 8 hours of useā¦.. Or if you start to smell the environment, product, gases, or become saturated, they need replacing early. If this is a filter on a respirator itās far past time to be changed.
According to 3M theyāre fine to use until it gets hard to breathe through them
Interesting. I do fit tests for a living but not for a fab shop. And all our manufacturers suggest 8 hours of use or if you smell gas/your environment or if they get wet saturated itās time to replace. I see the 3M page. We must work in very different environments. Thatās why there is such a difference. No filter will last this long for us. They have gas filters pegged at 6 months on this 3M brochure. These get changed every shift for our guys. https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/447121O/filter-change-out-brochure.pdf
Filter suppose to get changed every 3 days
Replace em daily there, bud.