Shop safety AGAIN! Please read.

R.W.Clark

R.W.Clark

Joined
Apr 30, 2001
Messages
1,742
Well, after having nose bleeds for the past few months and some breathing problems lately, I decided I might want to have myself checked out. So I went in and had a work up done yesterday.

When I first started working with Liquidmetal, everyone made all kinds of comments about the dangers of the Be in the mix. I always said that the vanadium in most other metals was much more likely to get me. Seems I was right. Not a sign of Be in my system but I am suffering from vanadium poisoning.

Mind you that I have always been really carefull to wear my respirator when grinding and cutting. Seems that it just was not enough.

On the up side. It is not lasting and should pass with time so long as I am no longer exposed. The worst I got was alot of bloody shop rags, a sore chest from coughing and a lowered immune system (which would explain the non-stop colds and flu I have been having).

I also get to save up for a 3M Jupiter PAPR breathing system. No small chore at $1500+. Because now it will take less and less exposure to get me back into the same place I am now, so I need 100% protection.

Point of all this is. Take safety very seriuosly guys. I am getting off easy. There are other things you could be breathing in the shop that you won't recover from. Get the best protection for your lungs you can. After all, its only your life!
 
For those who don't know - Blacksmith Jim 'Paw Paw' Wilson recently passed away from pneumonia. This was caused by grinding or welding galvanized [zinc coated] steel. Zinc fumes are toxic !!
 
You're right of course. I can't say for others but since I wear a beard I know nothing but PAPR will do anything for me. I tried a simple battery powered face shield but it just does not filter much out. I'm going to have to spring for a good unit too.

About Tax Deductions:

For what it's worth, if your Dr will write a prescription for this it'll be deductible as a medical expense. That probably wouldn't make any practical difference for someone who would depreciate it anyway, but for us part timers who don't file business expenses it can help with the overall cost.

My employer offers a Flexible Reimbursement Account for medical expenses that allows me to deduct money from my salary on a pretax basis, that I use to pay non-covered expenses. (Our insurance won't cover a PAPR, I asked em. Medicare might.)

This may not sound like much on the surface but think about it - the itemized medical deduction is something like $5000; if you have less than that in med expenses for a year you get no tax benefit on the itemized 1040. But the FRA is deducted pretax so even if you only spend $1500 (for your PAPR) you get the tax benefit for the expense. Worth thinking about. I don't know how many employers offer this, it's probably a record keeping nightmare for the company. But it's potentially a huge benefit for employees.

We spend a few thousand a year on non-covered medical expenses that would otherwise not be deductible...it's never quite enough to break the minimum on the Sch A. I have added this to my list for next year; if we don't have any obvious large medical expenses coming up by 2006 I'll be getting that PAPR myself. ;) Folks who have sufficient expenses to itemize or who file Sch C could realize the tax benefit without having a FRA, of course.

Remember, to be deductible as a medical expense you have to have a script from your Dr.
 
RW, Good advice, we can always upgrade to a new grinder. Not the same with our lungs, eyes or other body parts. Think saftey first you new, people just getting started. Glad you caught that in time RW.
 
Thank GOD you caught it early. All of us have had grinder nose. You know, blow your nose and its all black. Knifemaking is dangeruos in more than one way. Newbes take heed and protect yourself. :eek:
 
Kim Breed said:
Thank GOD you caught it early. All of us have had grinder nose. You know, blow your nose and its all black. Knifemaking is dangeruos in more than one way. Newbes take heed and protect yourself. :eek:
Click to expand...

Yes, thank HIM for letting you catch it in time, R.W!

Hey... who was the fellow with the handle, "Black Boogers" here? That was a couple years ago. He either left or changed his handle. Anyone remember him?
 
Get a business license, even for part time makers. This lets you deduct the cost of equipment/expenses for your business on your taxes.
 
Ron, I have two questions if you don't mind:

First, where are you finding a Jupiter unit domestically? On a Google, all I get is offshore links and can't find it on 3M's USA site.

Second, if you were wearing a half/full-face respirator properly with the right cartridges, how will the PAPR provide a different level of protection?

Thank you. I have a personal interest/empathy, having emphysema/COPD and being unable to use a normal half- or fullface. I own a 3M Breatheasy.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
 
fitzo said:
Ron, I have two questions if you don't mind:

First, where are you finding a Jupiter unit domestically? On a Google, all I get is offshore links and can't find it on 3M's USA site.

Second, if you were wearing a half/full-face respirator properly with the right cartridges, how will the PAPR provide a different level of protection?

Thank you. I have a personal interest/empathy, having emphysema/COPD and being unable to use a normal half- or fullface. I own a 3M Breatheasy.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
Click to expand...

Try Lab Safety, Mike. I've used them for years. You won't get any bargains there, but if they don't have it - you don't need it.

Lab Safety Supply
 
Yeah, they don't offer 'em there, either, Jeff. They offer the BreatheEasy like I have. The Jupiter looks like a more comfortable beltpack, which is what piqued my interest. Also, two larger cartridges than the three on mine. Might be a $$ savings over the $90+ it costs to re-cartridge mine.

More curiosity than anything, as it would be cost-foolish to dump the one I have now. It works just great. I am VERY sensitive to dusts and fumes, and I can grind anything or work with the stankiest organics and never smell 'em or have it impair my breathing hours later.

Ron's problem leads me to wonder which cartridges are necessary to eliminate metal fumes and whether the carbon-cartridge/HEPA filter are adequate. I think a call to Airware is in order.

While I hate the circumstances that brought it on, Ron, I think periodically re-addressing the breathing protection is very important. Thank you for bringing it up. Get well soon.
 
Yeah,

Again, it's the stuff that doesn't hurt right away that is most likely to kill you.

Please heed the advice given here and in other safety threads, materials can be replaced, customers can be replaced, you CANNOT be replaced.

Tony
 
mete said:
For those who don't know - Blacksmith Jim 'Paw Paw' Wilson recently passed away from pneumonia. This was caused by grinding or welding galvanized [zinc coated] steel. Zinc fumes are toxic !!
Click to expand...

Say it ain't so! I went looking around the anvilfire site for information about his death, and found nothing. When did this happen?

Doc
 
You can not get the Jupiter in the US, I will be ordering it in from the UK. It will be a pain but worth it I think in the long run. The 3m guys said that the ABEK/P3 filter setup will take out everything I need it to. Nice thing about the Jupiter is that it is self monitoring, so if you forget to keep an eye on your filters it tells you when they need to be changed. It also has the best airflow of all PAPR units, it is the lightest and looks to be very comfortable. I will be getting the L-901 helmet with inner and outer shrouds. I may look like I am getting ready for a space walk but I won't be getting sick anymore.

Not sure why my half mask failed. But there are many reasons it could have. I normally have a very short beard that could have broken the seal. Bad fit around the nose. Who knows?
 
I just hope you heal completely and it doesn't have any residual effects, Ron. Life on the oxygen hose just simply sucks. I have a old fashioned cold right now and I can't walk across the room without running out of breath.

That Jupiter does look real nice, and the belt pack more comfortable than my Breathe Easy. Will you have to order cartridges from overseas, too.

Thanks for the info. Take care of yourself.
 
I'm with Fitzo....hope it is only a temporary thing,and doesn't come back to haunt you.

I haven't ground anything in some time, and have considered equipment like that before I start up again. Considering I too keep a beard it sounds as though it would be worththe investment to get the hood with shields.

Good luck, and speedy recovery...

Doc
 
Ron I hope you will be ok. I wear a respirator and it seems to work fine for me. I have a full beard but make sure the respirator it's tight to my face. It sure is scary to hear these things.
Scott
 
I hope you recover fully Ron
a 2nd chance we don't always get..but to heed the ones we get is very smart, thank you for passing the info on..this should be put in the shop tips if it isn't already..
 
I have posted my feelings on this subject in the other thread that Doc Hollywood posted on this subject.
I only wish every maker and prospective maker will take this preventable tragedy to heart.We can't skate around safety!
 
You guys with a beard, or even not having shaven for a couple days - your respirator ain't doing much if anything. One of my neighbors is an asbestos remediation guy, we've talked about this a lot. If your mask won't prevent water getting in, it sure won't prevent air and its contamination. So dunk your head some time and see if your face gets wet. The only way to be reasonably safe with a beard is a forced air mask and the right cartridges. And if the fan starts to slow down, you're still sucking air around the mask, so keep those batteries charged!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top