Asbestosis/fiberglassosis?

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I'm getting a bit worried about all the minute fiberglass dust like fibers I may be inhaling while removing the glue from my old headlining.
Anybody know if it can cause a similar condition to asbestosis?

Possibly!

I taught in a school workshop for 20yrs where there was no dust extraction other than one over a planer thicknesser.

If a kid used the disc sander on the end of a lathe we used to open a window or door to help clear the air, and when we swept

up at the end of a lesson you couldn’t see from one side of the workshop to the other.

I also did a major house renovation and one time I did wear a handkerchief over my face, cowboy style, to prevent breathing in

the dust whilst taking down lathe and plaster ceilings.

In today’s very knowledgeable and protective society, it’s hard to imagine how dumb we were as regards H&S.

I’ve just had my second sinus procedure. The surgeon said that the problems were probably made a lot worse by me being in

dusty workplaces.

I’ve just built my own workshop at home, a playground for me in my retirement. For it, I’ve bought one of these…

http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-afs-500-air-filtration-system and to try and help further I treated my sinus and lungs to one of these…

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2613...ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0

I dislike unnecessary noise around me and wearing such cumbersome pieces of kit over my face or on my head but if only I had

taken more care throughout my life I may never have had so much sinus trouble.

I’m surprised that a good nose clip and mouth held filter similar to that of a mini snorkel hasn’t been designed, or has it?

I've just looked on Google and there they are .... https://www.google.co.uk/search?sit...7.0....0...1c.1.35.serp..1.7.1079.hTLl6R5HSKY

 

[prv]

I’m surprised that a good nose clip and mouth held filter similar to that of a mini snorkel hasn’t been designed, or has it?

Why would anyone want it? It sounds far less comfortable than a decent mask, and less effective because the filter area would be smaller.

Pete

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Why would anyone want it? It sounds far less comfortable than a decent mask, and less effective because the filter area would be smaller.

Pete

Not sure I agree, would like to try one before I decide...

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/tools/resp/ especially the simple looking Resp-O-Rator Jr.

I reckon there could be less risk of a bypass of dust getting down the side, as with an ill fitting face mask and smaller filters

could be very quick and easy to change as well as cheaper.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I'm getting a bit worried about all the minute fiberglass dust like fibers I may be inhaling while removing the glue from my old headlining.
Anybody know if it can cause a similar condition to asbestosis?

I'd be very careful of breathing in any particulate dust, especially any involving any sort of fibrous material. My father-in-law was employed in the building industry in Hong Kong, and for many years suffered from serious breathing problems caused mainly by working in dusty environments - though smoking didn't help, either. In the end, the damage to his lungs was the cause of death. He didn't have mesothelioma, so it wasn't an asbestos related condition.

 

[prv]

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/tools/resp/ especially the simple looking Resp-O-Rator Jr.

I reckon there could be less risk of a bypass of dust getting down the side, as with an ill fitting face mask and smaller filters

Hmm, well, that does at least answer the filter size issue, at the cost of looking particularly ridiculous

Still can't see any benefit over my mask, but each to their own. Having your nose pinched for hours at a time sounds uncomfortable, as does breathing only through the mouth.

The solution to "dust getting down the side, as with an ill fitting face mask" is not to buy an ill-fitting mask in the first place. Buy one that fits instead. Although I guess the Resp-O-Rator Jr people are right to point out their unique advantage in the case of "facial deformities"!

If you prefer the nose-clip-and-snorkel approach - whether through facial deformity or otherwise - then I guess you now have the option.

Pete

 

[Nicholas123]

Just as an add on.I have always breathed through my mouth after suffering from asthma & endless blocked up noses from endless colds as a child.
That mask seems to fit quite well & I hav'nt noticed any particular trouble breathing which is the usual result from inhaling any dust.Dos'nt stop minute glass fibers getting embedded in your clothes & causing nasty irritations though :ambivalence:
I guess the only real solution is to wear something like a space suit.

 

[Neil_Y]

Cotton was removed from composite bearings some time ago as inhaled cotton fibres can result in lung disease, a quick look at the list of research gives this summary... There's plenty of data out there, I have heard the problems are worse the deeper the fibres go, so the smaller the particles the worse the effect. This is the summary from a study in 92 on effects of glass fibre inhalation.

" The best judgement was that in 36 (13.0%), pulmonary opacities or pleural abnormalities were due to fibreglass. CONCLUSION--Commercial rotary spun fibreglass used for insulating appliances appears to produce human disease that is similar to asbestosis."

 

[owen-cox]

Some interesting reading can be found here.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/eh44.pdf
on dust of any type and I would suggest that as it is very hard to establish what level of dust there is in an area at any time without doing a survey then if it was a work environment it would be very difficult to justify not specifying use of a proper respirator when grinding GRP. As it says any type of dust inhaled can produce fibrosis ( scarring of the tissue) and so is not recommended. I in my job would not allow a contractor to do any grinding if GRP without the correct respirator. I would also use one myself at home. There are plenty of things that we used to do that we dont now and it is after all your own decision but it is also your own health and why take the risk.

 

[GrahamM376]

Still can't see any benefit over my mask, but each to their own. Having your nose pinched for hours at a time sounds uncomfortable, as does breathing only through the mouth.

Big advantage for those of us with beards. When I've been spraying or sanding, my beard becomes the filter around the mask, even a good inflatable one.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Just as an add on.I have always breathed through my mouth after suffering from asthma & endless blocked up noses from endless colds as a child.
That mask seems to fit quite well & I hav'nt noticed any particular trouble breathing which is the usual result from inhaling any dust.Dos'nt stop minute glass fibers getting embedded in your clothes & causing nasty irritations though :ambivalence:
I guess the only real solution is to wear something like a space suit.

One of the general marine craftsman at my yard has a full suit and uses that if in a tent if he removes antifouling, or is drilling out through hull plugs where fibreglass particles are present.

I've added filler to some areas inside my boat whilst fitting 5 new hatches and when sanding down before adding the teak trim I'll try out my new Trend respirator http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/26139...ff14=95&ff19=0 I bet I'll hate the thing but even though I'm shutting the stable door in many ways, I'm hoping to protect my airways as much as possible.

It's always a problem when masked up and everything gets covered in dust, especially if you get extremely hot in a confined spaced whilst busy.

The temptation is to remove the mask whilst the dust/particles are still on clothing or even in the hair if your not wearing some head cover. It's still a difficulty to get undressed and free of the dust/particles before hand.


Quote PRV......
"Hmm, well, that does at least answer the filter size issue, at the cost of looking particularly ridiculous"

Modesty shouldn't get in the way of good health .

S.

 

[hartcjhart]

and dont forget that nearly all jointing material( older boat pipes etc) were made from CAF so care should be taken when removing them

 

[MYStargazer]

and dont forget that nearly all jointing material( older boat pipes etc) were made from CAF so care should be taken when removing them

What's this?

 

[Nigel-in-Oxford]

The toxicology of aspestos is based on the shape and size of the particles. Glass fibres are larger and less "sharp". This means that the lungs can expell the particles normally with most of the rubbish that ends up in them. Aspestos is finer and the blue especially is not easily expelled an sits in the lung with the well known consequences.
Still it is not a good idea to breath grp dust unnessecerily.