Grinding in the garage - safety question

peripatew

peripatew

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Jul 31, 2007
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I bought an AO Safety R5700 respirator from Lowes. Is this good enough to use? I was wearing it today for about an hour and a half, and I had a little metal dust in my nose when I was done. I had the garage door closed most of the time because it was so closed. I didn't have my box fan running, but it didn't seem to bad.

Is ventilation still essential even when wearing a respirator?

I could pretty easily crack the door a little, and have the box fan w/ a filter in the right spot.

I'm just using an angle grinder to shape the blade right now, and then using files and a dremel to start shaping the blade. SO, my "dust" isn't aimed in one particular location.

Just curious! My "shop" will likely always be in a garage, so I'd like to start working on a good setup.

Thanks!

L
 
Dust in the nose, will invaribly mean some dust in the lungs too.

Try for a tighter fit on the respirator, first.

The idea of setting up some ventilation can't hurt either.

Mike L.
 
Another question, how long do these cartridges last? I can already see that they are getting dirty, I hoped they would last a long time, because they are kind of expensive.
 
The way that respirator cartridges were explained to me by some people who use them all the time "use them till you notice that it's getting harder to breath through them, then replace them" whether that takes days of use, or months of use, since it depends on how much particulate they're filtering.
 
I am doing it in the garage too. Have a big and heavy respirator with cartriges but prefer 3M disposable ones. Not cheap and thin but white and rather thick. They fit much tighter on my face and I do not feel any smell of the metall or whatever I ground. And no dust in my nose or on my face after. Plus it is way more easy to wear. So my set is UVEX glasses and this 3M disposable respirator. It might be not the best but I do not spend hours grinding. Hour, hour and a half atmost.
 
Go to a welding shop and get a good respirator. They have great, dual cartridge masks that have flat cartridges that are easily seen around. If you are getting dust in your nose grinding big chunks it is already inadequate for small ones. Cross ventilation is good, but it cam also put finer dust in the air.

Some days i grind for 4-5 hours staright. I look at the large pile of steel dust at my feet and realize just how much could end up in my lungs without a good respirator. You only get issued one set of lungs, so take really good care of them.

Gene
 
What type of cartrigde is on your mask? Dust? Fume? Both?

With a "95" or "100" filter, you should be getting virtually no particle infiltration. If you are, then the mask isn't fitted properly. If you have a beard, it is difficult to get a good fit.

Added: I looked up the mask at Lowe's online and then AO Safety. From what I can tell, it should be this one FlexiStart Respirator.
While I would prefer people use P100 cartridges, that one should not be letting enough particulate through to coat your nose. Learn how to fit test.Respirator fitting PDf 3M
 
Try full face mask atop of respirator. Most grinders will carry some particles "around" - to where they will be coming from atop - ending up in your hairs etc. Most any respirators will stop metal "dust" - you're prolly getting it through gaps between mask and your face.

I'd be much more concerned with grinding/buffing wood and plastics- these go airborne much easier and stay floating for much longer.
 
I gave up on having a beard because of sealing issues on my respirator. breathing is more important than looking good, and using a respirator wih a beard was'nt much better than no respirator
-Page
 
In an OSHA-compliant workplace, beards are usually a no-no for respirators. IIRC the very simple statement in the federal regulations stated "facial hair is considered incompatible with half- and full-face respirators". At the pharmaceutical company where I worked, beards were totally banned in the production areas, and mustaches had to be trimmed to be fully within the seal. OSHA Inspectors would cite you if they saw a bearded worker wearing a repirator in a production area. We fit-tested everyone with a probe (warm amyl alcohol) that would make you cough if you didn't have a good seal. Frequently, even with a shaved face, many had to go through a couple brands and sizes to get a good fit that would pass the test.

Wearing a respirator with a beard may be better than nothing at all, but people are usually fooling themselves if they think they have a complete seal. Even worse, the finest stuff gets through, which is the most damaging.
 
All good points above. On another note I'm surprised at the number of respirators I see laying on work benchs catching dust. Then you'll see a dude grap it and throw it no with no cleaning thinking hes saving his lungs. Even taking if off after using there is some dust on your hair and straps.
 
When your respirator is not in use, you need to seal it in a large Ziploc, or a coffee can with a lid. When you take it off and put it on the bench, all the particulates in the air will settle inside it.
 
And if you're the perfect little respirator-user you'll wipe your steamy bacteria-laden breath and spittle out of the inside with an alcohol wipe before storage! :)

Keeping cartridges closed off to the outside air when not in use also extends the life of the chemical cartridges.
 
In the RIT photo chem mix dept we had a special bucket and a special sanitizer that we were welcome to use as often as we wanted to keep our masks clean (mix, clean dump rinse dry)

-Page
 
Ventilation is VERY important, but not always practical. If you have dust on your face, or can smell stuff it don't fit right. As was stated above, keeping it clean is very important. There is a difference between particulate cartridges and vapor cartridges. I am just getting into figuring out making, so not sure what is available at my hardware store. I do work for a chemical production company, wear a respirator on a regular basis as a part of my job, and know the consequences of not protecting myself. A simple fit test at home is to do a positive/negative fit test. Hold your hands over the intakes (cartridges) and try to breath in. Does it leak? Put a hand over the exhaust and try to breath out. This simple test is pretty good at figuring out if you need to tighten straps, put it on a little differently, or it just don't fit.

In an OSHA-compliant workplace, beards are usually a no-no for respirators
Click to expand...
.

It is amazing just what 12 hours of growth on a face will do to the fit of a respirator.

Apologize if I am getting long winded. I wear a respirator and/or supplied air on a daily basis, and fit test on a computer anually. If I might be able to answer any questions, please let me know. If I don't have the answer, I am sure I can get it.

You only get issued one set of lungs, so take really good care of them.
Click to expand...
 
Sorry, an after thought. BEWARE of solvents. They will mess up much more than just lungs!
 
Use a dust collector and an air filtration system. But a properly fitting respirator is a must. Even outside dust will fly in your face. If you are getting stuff in your nose it is definitely not working. I have 2 that are not too expensive. One is a single filter that is used for woodworking. it has replaceable filters and no bypass at all. Then I have a flat welders respirator. It cuts the fumes out and also has replaceable filters. Both only cost about $15 ea. I also have the expensive 3m dual cartridge but it is too heavy and gets in the way. If you have a beard and are not willing to shave it they have positive pressure filtration units that fit over your beard and keep a clean stream of air flowing thru the mask. Spendy though.
 
Another problem is people who take the respirator off as soon as they stop grinding. The small particles that get in your nose and lungs float in the air for a good while. That is why you need an air replacement and ventilation system,even if it is nothing more than cracking the door and running an exhaust fan.
Next time you are grinding in the garage,lay a sheet of white paper out on the work bench and leave it untouched for a day after you finish grinding. Now curl it up and tap the bottom. You will see the fine dust roll down to the valley.That is what is in the air.
Stacy
 
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