Jim,
You guys are absolutely correct about being very careful around automotive
paints. Your paint supplier will have data sheets (mixing and application
recommendations) and MSDS sheets. This information usually can be found on
the web too.
I have taken an informal survey of nearby professional body shops to see
what they use for respirators. At present most use a 3M mask number 07179
with changeable elements. Some use 3M 07193 which is a similar mask that is
discarded after use (no replaceable elements). Of course the very best
system is the fresh air supplied type that only a very few use. When not in
use the mask should be stored in a sealed container to keep the elements
fresh.
I also understand that OSHA will be spot testing the fit of masks. Still a
little cloudy on this issue but I have been told that a saccharine dust is
applied to the edges of a mask and if the wearer can detect the sweet sugar
taste, the fit is unacceptable.
And Steve, you might just have the best mask yet! But not one local body
shop is using an Israeli gas mask. . .
Rick
75 Delft Blue TR6
CF36050U
Brunswick, Maine
patton@suscom-maine.net
http://users.clinic.net/~rpatton/
> Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 10:08:56 -0500
> From: "Knight, James" <James.Knight@purchase.edu>
> Subject: FW: urethane paint
>
> Steve and I have been having a conversation about auto paint and Steve
> suggested others might be interested. I agree, so here it is.
> Please be aware that although I have some experience related to subject, I
> am not a professional body and paint man, so the material below is not by
> any means exhaustive. The main priciples do hold true: do your
> homework on
> both the materials and equipment and equip yourself knowledgably and
> correctly or leave it to a pro. Auto paints keep getting more complex and
> more toxic as well as more durable.
>
> Jim Knight
>
> - -----Original Message-----
> From: Knight, James
> Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 2:47 PM
> To: 'steve bridge'
> Subject: RE: urethane paint
>
>
> Steve:
> Not necessarily. Industrial personal respirators are designed to
> be fitted
> with a number of different particulate filters for either dusts, mists, or
> fumes (which is not at all the same thing as vapors, even though
> many laymen
> use "fume" and "vapor" interchangeably). These three types of
> filters each
> come in three different degrees of filtration efficiency. They
> also can be
> fitted with any number of cartridges that contain substances to
> absorb from
> the air as it passes through specific chemical classes of vapors. For
> instance, there is a different cartridge for acid vapors than for organic
> vapors. To spray paint, you must be protected from fine mists, which can
> induce chemical pneumonia among other things, and the vapors
> emmanating from
> the solvents in the paint. Auto paints are very complex, and as
> I mentioned
> earlier, some contain substances for which there is no protection
> except an
> air supplied respirator. (minimum $600 to get set up) You must know
> specifically what is in the product Get MSDS from vendor, he is
> required by
> law to provide if it is requested but has no obligation to offer it to you
> if you don't ask. MSDS will usually recommend appropriate respiratory
> protection. It will at least tell you what specific hazards to guard
> against and then you can do some homework on the web with 3M and other
> companies that do personal protective equipment to find out specifically
> what equipment you need to protect yourself. If your vendor is
> uncooperative, find another vendor. If there isn't another one handy, get
> on the web, there are several free MSDS data bases you can
> search. If I were
> you, I would not be painting cars again until you have the information
> necessary to identify the specific hazards and acquire the indicated
> protective equipment.
>
> I would guess that the odds that an old gas mask is still effective, even
> against the substances it was designed to protect against, are small. If
> you use a mask that does not exclude the toxic substances, you
> may be worse
> off than with no mask at all. This situation tends to produce a higher
> concentration of vapors than you would inhale from your general work
> environment, much as kids put model glue or oven cleaner or even
> gasoline in
> a bag in order to produce a more concentrated air/vapor mix
> before inhaling.
>
>
> This stuff can really hurt you, so educate yourself and do it
> right or hire
> it done.
>
> Jim Knight
>
> - -----Original Message-----
> From: steve bridge [mailto:slbridge@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 2:10 PM
> To: James.Knight@purchase.edu
> Subject: RE: urethane paint
>
>
> Hi Jim,
> It's an Israeli gas mask. I figured: If it can filter nerve gas,
> it must filter paint gasses. Steve
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