Welding dust mask

[Flynn]

Hi, just one thing that I stumbled upon by chance (luckily!) that I have never read about before is people recommending an air filter mask for welding if you are using gasless wire? I was doing some practice welding yesterday outside using gasless wire and I was not wearing any sort of air filter mask, nor was I when I was using a flap wheel to remove the zinc from the exhaust I was practicing on. Perhaps the zinc coating is more dangerous when you are heating it up rather than just scraping it off? I have no signs of zinc poisoning thankfully.

I have searched the forums and there are a few air mask threads but not nearly as much as there are helmet threads! My welding bloke never wore an air mask, just gloves and helmet and he welded in a workshop.

Well luckily I don't have any symptoms, but I thought to post here before I start my project welding exhaust consisting of stainless steel and mild steel, outside, with gasless wire. So considering it is in the open will I still need a 3M mask? I found a reusable one from screwfix for £20 quid or a disposable one for £7 quid. Here's a link to each:

Reusable:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-4251-maintenance-free-organic-vapour-particulate-respirator-p2/13038

Disposable:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-p3-disposable-valved-mask/27480

So considering I am welding outside and on a tight budget, do I really need either? Thanks.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i would advise you to have a mask using gasless. It is horrible stuff, as is zinc. I use 3M disposable masks, but usually get a few days out of them before binning them. You can tell when they are dead when the inside of the mask gets dirty.

the masks i use have an ffp3 filter in them

 

[Flynn]

Hi mate, thanks for saving my thread again. It seems like you are the only one keeping this place going recently! I have noticed the reusable mask is a 4251 and the disposable is a ffp3. Does this mean that the reusable gear is not up to it then?

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have never found issue with the disposable gear. before I started wearing them my nose was always full of black crap and I always had a horrible taste in my mouth. all stopped since wearing the masks

 

[Flynn]

But say I wanted to get the reusable one for 20 quid, would that do the job even though it is a 4251 instead of an ffp3? Thanks.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i would imagine so, in not sure what the various numbers mean, i just go for whatever mask is available really

 

[Rocketman]

If you buy the one use disposable ones you need carbon in them too. ffp3 alone is no good.

Scan make a one use (8 hours) disposable mask which is meant for welding and grinding.

http://www.powertoolwarehouse.co.uk...sk-valved-ffp2-protection-3-scappep2offv.html

 

[Flynn]

Okay but I want to get the reusable one, does that have carbon in it? Man, the more you find out about this the more complicated it gets! This is the one I am hoping to get:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-4251-maintenance-free-organic-vapour-particulate-respirator-p2/13038

I figure disposable masks are like disposable gas bottles, not enough for prolonged use. I want to get one from my local town, don't really want to order online, thanks.

I think this info could be added to the PPE equipment tutorial as I didn't see anything about masks in there.

 

[Rocketman]

Yeah that one I showed is impregnated with carbon hence it's suitable for welding.

But as you want one from screw fix and reusable you will need to go on 3m or who ever's site to check it's suitable uses.

 

[Flynn]

Well it seems that only the super duper reusables come recommended for welding:

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-PPE-Safety-Solutions/Personal-Protective-Equipment/Products/Product-Catalog/~/Reusable-Respirators-Parts?N=8690968 3294529207 5023214 5925575&rt=r3

Don't really know what to do, I am surprised there are not more threads on this. I might have to order the disposable one for now because it seems they don't make a reusable carbon impregnated one at all.

Can I just get specific filters for that screwfix respirator? Sooooo confusing, lol! Edit: Yeah, just found out on the website for a 3M reseller that the respirator's performance is based up on the cartridges you have inside it.

So I should be hopefully able to find welding cartridges for that screwfix one, but it's all so complicated!

Edit:

If you buy the one use disposable ones you need carbon in them too. ffp3 alone is no good.

Scan make a one use (8 hours) disposable mask which is meant for welding and grinding.

http://www.powertoolwarehouse.co.uk...sk-valved-ffp2-protection-3-scappep2offv.html

I have just noticed, your message refers to disposable masks needing to be carbon impregnated. So the reusable ones don't or what?

 

[BrokenBiker]

all masks should be carbon impregnated to prevent all the welding fumes.

to be honest the amount of filters out there are so confusing I have just decided to save for a stand alone air fed system

 

[Flynn]

Just found this: http://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/fume-extraction-rpe.htm

At the bottom of the article there is a section on "Disposable versus non-disposable RPE?"

Where it says FFP3 masks offer "can offer reasonable protection for short jobs" which is pretty vague. From what I have researched via Google it seems I was lucky to avoid heavy metal poisoning. I certainly want to get some kind of protection in place before next time.

Also found this page which is pretty helpful:

http://blog.pksafety.com/how-can-you-protect-yourself-from-welding-fumes/

Edit: It seems that the filters you need are the 3M 2097:

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuH8gc7nZxtUnx_e5vTSevUqe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--

Which go with a 3M 6000 series mask:

http://www.ace-safetywear.co.uk/sto...f-masks.html?gclid=CP72rb_Xnr8CFVMRtAod90YAtg

It says on the page of the mask which filters it is compatible with, the 2000 series filters being one of them.

 

[Flynn]

Just spent 20 quid on a mask and another 20 quid on the filters! Those filters are expensive, yet the 2091's (which I nearly bought by accident) go for a fiver!

**Language**, **Language** **Language**. Just read the spec sheet for the 2091's and it seems that they are recommended for welding as well!?

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSu7zK1fslxtUnx_ePvTSev7qe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--

Looks like I have paid 4x as much as I needed to! FFS

Just seen this deal:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-7502-Respirator-Painting-Spraying-Face-Gas-Mask-w-2091-P100-filters/141009588475?_trksid=p0.c100204.m3164&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=23345&meid=7960031285287449478&pid=100204&prg=9920&rk=18&rkt=20&sd=201080368686

Mask and the filters I need for 15 quid. Ouch.

Edit: False alarm, that one's from China, not worth the risk. I've still bought the unnecessary filters though.

 

[Flynn]

Okay discount all that, all of the 2091 filters are from China which are likely to be fakes. So my advice is to avoid 3M products because it seems impossible to get the filters for them. I was probably better advised going for the original mask that I linked, despite the lack of carbon which I read is only for odour control purposes.

Right, just had to buy some from Germany Hell only knows when they will turn up! Probably not in time for me to start welding this week anyway. I wish there was more info on an appropriate mask!

 

[Rocketman]

Carbon acts as a gas filter too.