respiratory safety

Here I sit, self-banished from the shop and the new airbrush, in week three of a nasty bronchitis. I think the trigger was the week of 80 degrees then 40 degrees then 80 degrees then 40 degrees weather, but it has me thinking that maybe my next major "tool" purchase might oughta be a powered air purifier mask setup.

What systems do folks here use?

Why'd you pick the one you use?

Would you make the same choice today?

Any website recommendations for learning about what one should know when researching these things?

By the way, happy safety week!

I use the Breateasy system sold on www.airwareamerica.com. Expensive as all get out unless your old job doesn't care about money and tells you to take all your personal protective gear when they lay you off. The whole package is around $1,000. I have at least 5 of the head pieces, several batteries and only one filter motor pack.

Since not many want to spend that kind of money, me included, I would look at the Triton. Mainly because my size 8 head don't fit in a Trend. The belt pack helps offset the weight of the helmet. The hard hat is also a nice feature for the occasional piece that goes airborn.

Dale

I have the Trend, and I'm happy with it. I haven't used any others, so I don't have anything to compare it to. I also have an AO Safety respirator that I wear (instead of the Trend) when doing things like emptying the DC or blowing the dust out of the shop with the air hose.

Hi Mark,

You can spends lots of cash on all kinds of fancy masks and power assist respirators but with all the jobs that I have done with the asbestos removal and molds. The mask of choice is the silicone North 7700 series half mask with the p100 cartridge. There is a full mask series as well but really expensive compared to the half mask. Here is the web site.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/north respirator/related.html .

The 7700 series are simple and not very expensive ( around 22 bucks canandian) and do a great job of filtering out all dust particls. The only dowen side is that with any of the mask systems you need to be clean shaven for them to work as you need to maintain a good seal against the face (a small price to pay for breathing clean filteres air).

I have been suffering from sinus and lung infections for years that all started out as a broncial infection and the only way that I am able to be in the shop now is with the half mask and a good dust collection and filter system. Also on that note I am currently seeing an ear nose and throat specialist and he has given me a great little gadget that they sell over the counter called a sinus rinse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zYLvSMAprg ) that you fill with tap water and a package of saline solution and you flush your sinus's after being in the shop it is amazing just how much junk comes out of your Sinus's even after a short time in the shop.