Health concerns with Dymonwood/Dustmasks/etc

[mbellek]

So I know that a mask needs to be worn at all times when turning or cutting Dymondwood, and I do that. (Actually, my father in law was ripping me some blanks and decided to do so without a mask (though he knew better), and he now has bronchitis and is having to take steroids) I always wear a mask, and I noticed today that my nose & throat are very itchy.

I spend a pretty regular amount of time in the woodshop each week--basically all the time that I'm off. Usually 6 or 7 hours on Monday, 6-7 on Tuesday, 10 or 12 on Wednesday, then another 10-12 on Thursday. Of that 30 hours a week, I would say I spend maybe a total 3 hours with my mask OFF.

Is it possible that my itchy throat is from Dymondwood, or could it just be allergies or something else? How often should I throw my mask away and grab a new one?

 

[Fred]

It could be anything. The advice found here is to have a darned good dust collection system installed in your shop. In addition to the collection system ALWAYS wear snout protection. IT only takes a little bit of some wood dust to cause one a lifetime of problems.

Do a SEARCH here for dust protection, read everything, make a decision - either your health or suffer!

Many woods are problem makers for different folks. You may not be "reactive" at first, but the more you are exposed, the more likely you are to become "sensitized" to these woods ... and that IS NOT GOOD for you at all.

Research "Sensitized" versus "Allergic" and learn that becomming sensitized is much more dangerous to your health.

Many turners collect the dust at the source. Others depend on cleaning up afterwards. Who do you believe suffers the most? I for one have a system to collect the majority of my cuttings and dust at the cutting tool and is my 'primary' protection. The dust collection vacuum is my 'secondary' backup. I also wear the Trend full face mask ALL THE TIME. I am not being paranoid, but neither do I want to damage my health, and with many of these woods it is far easier than many turners realize (or want to admit to themselves) to be hurt internally for a lifetime.

DUST IS NOT TO BE IGNORED!!! ... if you do, you will lose out alot sooner and a lot more than you think. []

 

[beamer]

The type of mask used can also be a factor. I've never trusted those white cheapy things ever since i got a Dust-B-Gone mask - man what a difference. Better filtration and more comfortable to boot. Plus, you don't throw 'em out - just rinse and let dry

 

[mbellek]

We have a JET filter air filter thing, I'm not sure what it is...

My father in law was talking about getting some kind of hood to hang over the lathe. I'm not sure if that is the same thing.

Knowing his tendency to buy the most expensive thing available, I'd guess that our dustmasks are probably the most expensive ones from Lowe's... Whatever that is. They seem fairly high quality and have two straps to hold more securely to the face. Plus the eye protection that I wear is a full-face thing... Like a welder's mask but clear plastic. I kinda always thought that might help a little too, just because the dust would not come straight for me...

When I say 3 hours, I mean just taking it off to wipe my face, or pulling it off because I am checking something on the internet, or going up to the bathroom, etc.

Ohhhh you know what? I just realized I often have a can of pop or water or coffee down there... I keep it pretty far away (way across the basement) from where I'm working, but it never occurred to me that it could be getting anything in it!!! I better re-think that.

Fred_erick -- My dad has asbestosis, from working around gunite & in steel mills & construction before they knew how much damage asbestos could do. Basically the tissue of his lower lungs is hard & brittle (imagine a sponge that would flake apart if you squeezed it) and so he has diminished lung capacity.

 

[Rmartin]

Sounds like to me you are doing a good job of protection. Some people are more sensitive than others.

Personally, I like a little shavings in my Coke.

Rmartin

 

[KenV]

Folks - the problem is that the most damaging fine particles go the furthest into the lungs and are the hardest to handle. HEPA filters are designed to remove the smallest particles and are a cartridge filter. Bags and filter masks get the coarse stuff, but not the fine materials. NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) rated "comfort masks" are the better ones, but are not as effective as a good dust collection system that really gets the fine dust out (and does not sit in the same space as the shop). The challenge is that most dust collector systems for small home shops are located in the same rooms as the source and recycle the fine particulate material that leaks through the filters (especially bag filters).

Best practices will be for a canister dust collection system with external exhaust, makeup air coming from a long ways from the exhaust, and a recycling filter system such as sold by Jet, delts, etc hanging over the work area to get the residual dust levels down. Commercial shops will have the dust collection system in an externally vented space separate from the shop to keep the fine particulates down. The stuff that is too small to see easily that is the most challenging to remove and potentially the most damaging with extended exposure.