Selecting A Respirator Mask
May 17, 2009 12:57 PM   Subscribe

Need help selecting a respirator mask. I googled, researched, and am still confused. Masks and other safety recommendations are welcomed!

I spray and inhale this stuff (MSC) once a week and have been worrying about my health. I do not know the full list of it's toxicity and carcinogenic properties. The ingredients are in Japanese, and nobody on the internet English-speaking communities seem to know what it's made out of either. Even with an older version of this respirator mask, I still get a whiff of sealant off my clothes, hands, the object it's been sprayed on, and sometimes when wearing the mask itself because it's not fitting as it should be. I've tried tightening the mask, but it is uncomfortable and left red marks on my face.

Most of these issues are easily solved by changing clothes, taking a shower and leaving the object to air dry, but I'm stuck on selecting a respirator mask. I'm not sure were to start even after Google and reading hobby forums who uses MSC frequently. I do know what I want protection from, though. I'm looking for a mask that is NIOSH-approved, and will protect me from MSC and that I can wear when doing airbrush work. Preferably a mask that is heavy duty that filters out aerosol fumes, paint fumes, laquer fumes, and thinner fumes.

I spray MSC and airbrush in my bathroom with a door open and a fan on.

Here are some more information on MSC:

-a solvent-type coating
-HIGHLY flammable and HIGHLY toxic (stated on the can)
-aerosol propelled
-similar to Testors Dullcote (assuming whatever keeps Testors out will work on MSC)

And that's about all I know. I'm looking for masks and other safety recommendations. Thanks!
posted by Yasuo to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: An MSDS [PDF] for the Testor's stuff you think is comparable says it contains toluene, methyl isobutyl ketone, isobutyl acetate, and so on. Nasty chemicals that can give you serious illness (I recall a professor when I was in college almost dying of aplastic anemia due to exposure to solvents).

Study the exposure controls/personal protection section of this University of Maryland page on toluene, which is just one of the poisons you're probably breathing. More important than a respirator (which will do no good at all if it does not fit properly, so that you breathe unfiltered air around it) is to have excellent ventilation. There is no respirator that will keep out alcohol fumes, according to the supplier I buy some fabric paints from. A bathroom fan is highlyinadequate for what you are doing. Can you buy or devise your own spray booth? If not, I think you should be working outside, regardless of the weather, not in a windowless bathroom.
posted by Ery at 2:16 PM on May 17, 2009 [1 favorite]


As an addendum, a spray booth will not do the job unless it is properly vented to the outside.
posted by Ery at 2:18 PM on May 17, 2009


Best answer: The NIOSH pocket guide to chemical hazards has a list of recommended personal protective gear depending on the concentrations you plan on encountering. That link is for toluene and essentially recommends an organic vapor chemical cartridge.

3M has an online respirator selection tool so you can enter the hazards you expect to encounter and it will give you a recommendation for protection. You may have to try several different masks until you find one that fits your face. You will also need to remove any facial hair you may have.

You haven't said what it is you are doing with this magic mystery chemical but I would advise that you not continue until you have your protective gear completely locked down and can do it in a well ventilated place. You really can cause permanent health problems by breathing in the wrong stuff, even if they do sell it to you in a user friendly spray can.
posted by ChrisHartley at 2:34 PM on May 17, 2009 [1 favorite]


While it sounds like you're shooting fairly small volumes of paint and the risk might not be great, I agree w/Ery that you probably should be doing this outside. It would be one thing if the bathroom had a sizable sash window where you could put a 24" box fan, but a typical bathroom exhaust fan is not even close to being up to this task. Also, fans for removing the vapors of flammable solvents use explosion-proof motors and are quite expensive. Again, since you're doing small-scale work it's unlikely that the concentration of solvents in the air would ever reach the level where it would ignite easily, but you're pushing the safety envelope here.
posted by jon1270 at 2:42 PM on May 17, 2009


First off do it in a well ventilated area, the respirators can filter stuff out, but you dont want to overwhelm them.
You want an organic vapor cartridge on your respirator.
Fit on the respirator body is EVERYTHING. Try a bunch on, and TEST them by putting your hands over the holes where the cartridges attach, and inhale.
You should feel the mask suck to your face and you should NOT be able to breath. If you really need to cinch it tight its going to be uncomfortable, and its probably not the right fit.
Some respirators include a fit check filter, which is basically just a rubber disk that slaps over the cartridge to block air, which serves the same function as putting your palms over the intake holes.
Make sure you have no interfering facial hair that can affect the seal, if you really cant give up your beard, try Vaseline slathered liberally on it, and test the fit. You really dont want leakage.
Lastly, REPLACE THE CARTRIDGE when you can smell stuff through it. They wear out, they don't last forever, and store it in a ziplock or similar bag when not in use to extend the life of the cartridge.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 3:42 PM on May 17, 2009


I just want to stress fit. If it doesn't fit well it can't do it's job. To get a good fit you probably need to try some on. Then the appropriate cartridge will save your health.
posted by pointilist at 3:52 PM on May 17, 2009


You might consider if you could get the affect you desire without the toluene et cetera.

The body also absorbs volatiles through your permeable skin. The chemicals you list are also teratogens, causing genetic mutations. You could develop a cumulative allergy, as the amount you absorb will accumulate in your liver and kidneys. Once you reach a certain threshold, very small amount will trigger an allergic reaction.

Also, needless to say, harmful to the environment.
posted by effluvia at 3:56 PM on May 17, 2009


Just adding some info to what has already been stated. I worked for over 17 years in a paint booth spraying automotive paints ( Ford cars). The booth had an industrial down draft and thats what you need. Any kind of draft that takes the vapors away from your face. Pink Fuzzy Bunny is right about the fit being very important. But the part about replacing the cartridge when you smell something can be misleading. Some vapors don't have any smell at minute quantities mixed with the air. You may be inhaling them and not know it, so I wouldn't always go by that. There should be instructions included with the mask/cartridges. I think some may even have due dates. But be very specific when you get the cartridges. There are different ones for different solvents and fumes. They may also be costly to replace. The red marks you experienced might be ongoing. Guys had those every day for years. Thats a sign that the the mask is fitting tightly in those areas. It should be tight but also somewhat comfortable. You'll probably have red marks wherever the mask touches your face. The ones we used had rubber cinch straps.
Seconding what was said about facial hair. With it you'll never have as good an airtight fit as you would without. Keep the mask clean also. You'll find them hot, sweaty and maybe hard to get used to, but you will if you keep at it. The big thing to me, like I said, was to have the stuff going away from your face. Thats a big thing. Years ago I saw a plan to make a do-it-yourself spray area where you had a fan hooked up to a metal box with holes similar to pegboard and then exhausted out. When you turned it on, the air pulled whatever you sprayed in front of it through the holes and out. Not sure where I saw it though. This was years ago.

Sorry to ramble, but theres nothing more important than your health.
posted by Taurid at 5:46 PM on May 17, 2009


Response by poster: I'm looking into investing on a spray booth. I'm unfamiliar with it and have only begun researching today and came across this which fits my budget. I'm still looking around and am open to suggestions. I have one dumb question, though. Is it safe to use a spray booth in my bathroom with an external exhaust adapter, or is it safer to just forget the adapter and use the booth outside?
posted by Yasuo at 5:56 PM on May 17, 2009


« Older Why is my period so weird?   |   Feel the lovely vocoder Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.