11 replies to this topic

[miniskinny]

I just spent a good 40 bucks on a professional dust mask from a hardware store; it claims to protect against dust, fumes, and lead-related problems. I'm wondering if it's worth the money? my previous method was just to hold my breath and retreat when I run short on air?

[BlackSky]

You didn't specify what type of chemicals you are dealing with to know what type of masks you need to buy. Anyway, you already bought it.

Anyway, Health is much important than money.

And I think, If this is your way to avoid dust and fumes (by holding your breath) then you did well by buying the mask.

Regards

[Andrew]

I'm sure everyone has blown thier nose after working a little, bp snot!

If you can blow your nose after working with bp or charcoal and not have bp snot it's done a good job, what filter is it, P2 P3?

[1145climber]

ah-ha! the hold-the-breath-and-run method! i love it! i have to use that too, not being serious enough to buy a mask. maybe i'll get a cheap surgeon's thing...

[ProfHawking]

they're not expensive, and no running away required
http://www.screwfix....=15165&id=14194

this mask says use within 28 days. Does anyone know in reality, would it be ineffective after that?? i recon for dusts it would be ok for a lot longer?

[BurlHorse]

ah-ha! the hold-the-breath-and-run method! i love it! i have to use that too, not being serious enough to buy a mask. maybe i'll get a cheap surgeon's thing...

Is your Health and Mortality Worth it?.....Most Problem Chemicals That are ingested through the lungs do not show the damage until many years later. Lets not start making Proper safety gear a Tee Hee Hardy Har Har Matter, It's Not. As to the "Cheap Surgeon Thingy", They are meant more to protect the patient, not the doctor, don't bother....


Regards,

Bear

[miniskinny]

erm andrew, kind of disgusted by that whole bp snot thing, seeing how I never knew you could get it but yeah my mask works great, gives me a nice feeling of protection... I recommend it when using any chemicals really.

[1145climber]

Is your Health and Mortality Worth it?.....Most Problem Chemicals That are  ingested through the lungs do not show the damage until many years later. Lets not start making Proper safety gear a Tee Hee Hardy Har Har Matter, It's Not. As to the "Cheap Surgeon Thingy", They are meant more to protect the patient, not the doctor, don't bother....
Regards,

Bear

okay, i wont get a surgeons mask, but its not like safety gear is a tee hee hee issue for me, its just that i only deal with the basic chemicals to make BP and charcoal stars, and that i am really careful to not agitate them so as to get them into the air. if i see a puff of dust, or smell it, then i'll walk away and wait for it to settle to continue working. im pretty sure i dont inhale much of any chemicals into my lungs.

[BurlHorse]

okay, i wont get a surgeons mask, but its not like safety gear is a tee hee hee issue for me, its just that i only deal with the basic chemicals to make BP and charcoal stars, and that i am really careful to not agitate them so as to get them into the air. if i see a puff of dust, or smell it, then i'll walk away and wait for it to settle to continue working. im pretty sure i dont inhale much of any chemicals into my lungs.

Depending on where your working, A Large Egxaust fan may help clear the air more efficiently then just letting the Dust Sttle Only to become another cloud in a few mins, Seems at least more efficient from a Time spent working perspective.

If your Charcoal is anywhere near commercial Airfloat fine, It Will cause you problems, though they may seem more of a bother than anything, However, Brochitis, and for people who have worked with any finely divided carbonaceous materials for long periods of time, WILL Have Black Lung and Generally Emphesema soon follows, None of these conditions are worth NOT spending 40.00 to ~ dollars on proper safety gear.

Everyone who knows me here knows I'm a stickler for safety, But I'm 45 Years Old with Quite a few of those years spent in pyro and learning hard taught pyro lessons. So I share with you guys, sometimes quite rudely (when I see Blatant Stupidity rather than just an easily correctable lack of knowledge....) and spot on to a fault, but its for your own good. The pyro brotherhood extends around the world, not just from here to the UK. We Protect our brothers here, when we can, as I am sure you do too from a cultural standpoint as well over there. So, for those forum members who think I'm just a blowhard info maniac, so be it, I've got pretty thick skin. Good Thing Too.....

These Accidents and safety issues can happen anytime anywhere to anyone, yes, even good 'Ol Bear....This Fourth being a perfect example fo me which could have been a serious accident had I not seen it........Long story short......I agreed to shoot a small show for my Pyro Partner, as he wanted to watch with our friends, So OK, I said I'd take care of the setup and shells and such and he spent time prepping food and doing all that other stuff you have to do to entertain city council people and the fire chief, who was kind enough to Bring a 2 Man crew and a Brush Truck (Filled with 300 Gallons of water) in Case of any fires.

I set up Many Cakes, 2"( Festival Balls) 3", 4", 6" Guns (Mortars) and then proceeded to get about 200 ( I Built about 15 of these, the rest were comercial 1.3 G) shells prepped and in ready boxes, a few people came down including the fire chief and offered to help me add a 2" piece of visco to the end of all the leaders, while I chained the finale shells. So Soon After (with the extra Help I popped a 4" Salute Aerial to give the 5 minute warning.......well in the heat of the Shooting, Reloading etc, I took 2 - 6" shells out of the ready box and laid them on the ground, near the 6" guns and walked about 15 feet away to shoot a volley of 3's and turn back toawrds the 6's to drop em in the guns and let em fly, Well there was alot of ash and still glowing paper falling from the volley of 10 3's. As I was walking back, I noticed what distinctly looked like Black Match Burning, Not Quick Match but black match.....Right where I had set down the 2 - 6's........ suddenly the black match burnt up to the piping of the leader and **WHOOSH** the quick matchlit, then **BANG** the Open Lift Bag went, well I knew I had at least 4 Seconds time fuse before the shell would blow, so a quick 180 and running and counting 1 missisippi, 2 Missisippi, and on 3 I dove and assumed the prone head covered, ears covered by arms, knees tucked under me with my backside to the errant shell position.......(Its easier to fix your ass than your face......but I digress) and Right on time, 1 second later ***BOOM*** , I was showered in big hot and angry red and Blue Stars, a Couple Bouncing off My Arms and Back, No Burns Though. All Cotton Clothes, Gloves, Safety Glasses Etc.

The only thing Murphy got that night was a good laugh, The only sign he had been there was a 24" blast Crater.......From a 6" Golden Kamuro Shell !!!!!!

Thank you Lord. When you call I'll be there, But for now, Thank you for dialing a wrong number on the night of 6-4-2005 at Kens Farm, Thank you Lord, Thank you.

Forensics, Post Morum or whatever: While my help was adding the Visco to the leaders and taping them shut, someone forgot to cut the black Match Back and add the visco.......so 4" of Black match was exsposed to all the glowing fallout and obviously caught. Luckily I Saw it......Unluckily, I was the Dumb ass who was shooting the show and decided to set the shells outside the ready box so I could Get them loaded and Lit Faster, STUPID 'OL BEAR. Luckily I was the only one down there who I COULD have Possibly Seriously hurt, Unluckily I was trusting dumb luck instead of Safety rules drilled in my head for a zillion years..........

I know this is a long post but if it ever Makes someone else see a problem in time, then it was worth the time to type it. Be Ever vigilant gang, Check Your Your Work and Check Your employees or friends work twice, everytime!!

Stay Green,

Brother Bear

[1145climber]

wow, thank god you saw that, and it was very smart of you to realize the length of the timefuse and count it down before you lay prone... i probably woulda panicked and layed down too late.

this is a good lesson for all people: leave your shells in the ready box until you NEED them, double check all work done by other people, and never have blackmatch out in the open where there might be possible sparks

[Douchermann]

this mask says use within 28 days. Does anyone know in reality, would it be ineffective after that?? i recon for dusts it would be ok for a lot longer?

It will protect from dust after 28 days, but what happens is the activated carbon element or whatever they use now gets old, so you can't use it for lead compounds or bad fumes.

[BurlHorse]

wow, thank god you saw that, and it was very smart of you to realize the length of the timefuse and count it down before you lay prone... i probably woulda panicked and layed down too late.

this is a good lesson for all people: leave your shells in the ready box until you NEED them, double check all work done by other people, and never have blackmatch out in the open where there might be possible sparks

Good Advice there, I think Next Year if I do this little shoot again, Im going to do it electrically and sit up on the decks or catwalks of the house. Alot of firing wire, But what the heck, A Shortage of guns was what really prompted this whole thing being hand fired, so I guess I need to Buy Some more Mortars/Racks, they are always cheaper after the fourth anyway.

I won't say I panicked, but it was not far from it, my main source of fear being where the shells were laying, near the 1x3's used to brace the mortars, all I could Imagine was a Vampire Slayers Wood stake coming at me at mach 2 hahaha. I laid the other shell on the other side of the bracing, which is probably why it did not go off sympathetically......Well, Here's to lessons Learned!!

Best Regards,

Stay Green,

Bear