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Safety -- Make sure you are safe!

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  #1  
Old 2008-08-22, 7:32pm
Seph Seph is offline
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Question Lung Health

Asthmatic newbie here, trying to learn everything I can about keeping my lungs as healthy as possible, because I'm already soooo addicted.

I'm hoping someone can point me towards a decent respirator. I know from searching the forum that a lot of people don't use them (even if they have them), but I'm not taking chances. I haven't used frit or enamel or any respirator worthy substances yet, but I know I will and I want to be ready. Can anyone recommend a quality respirator (most important) that's not exceedingly cumbersome (as a secondary concern)?

Also, I read in another thread about someone on the forum retiring after 17 years due to bleeding lungs. (http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...9&postcount=24) ...Uh, is this a common experience??? I'm tending to think that there are probably additional factors here but, as an asthmatic, I have good reason to be paranoid. Are there any of you here that have been doing this for 20 years or more who are still breathing clear?

And before I get the ventilation lecture, which even I would give me, I'm working on it and looking to make a funnel type system. In the mean time I have a heavy duty exhaust fan in front of my torch, a clean-air fan blowing from behind me, and I don't work at my torch for more than thirty minutes at a time, usually only a day or two a week. It's driving me crazy to limit myself, but I'm trying to watch out for my lungs ...and I'm fully aware that I really shouldn't torch at all until I have really excellent ventilation in place, but some days I just can't help myself. A respirator would be especially helpful as an immediate safety measure while I build my ventilation system. I do know how very important that is.

So yeah... sorry for being so long-winded (no pun intended), but I'd appreciate some respirator recommendations and a little reassurance that flameworkers don't all bleed from the lungs after 15-20 years. Thanks!
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  #2  
Old 2008-08-22, 8:33pm
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theglasszone theglasszone is offline
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I'm somewhat of a noob, too! Been at it for near two years...I found that comment and circumstance in the thread you cited in your post very disturbing as well. I feel awful for Heidi, and am similarly hoping to hear feedback from some of the "long timer" lampworkers who can give us some answers.

Thanks for posting this thread...

~De in CA
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  #3  
Old 2008-08-22, 9:16pm
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Heidi von Frozenfyre Heidi von Frozenfyre is offline
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Respirators will not help. Believe me. Respirators are for particulate matter but you are dealing with fumes. Torches are too close to the face when you are working and I had a funnel hood in front of the torches, 3 fans ranging from 600 - 2400 cfm running at all times vented directly out the wall to the outside.

Trying to work with a shield was not ergonomical. Was always in the way, so I mounted it to the torch behind the marver... still very difficult to manuver around it and I was still getting fumes.

I'm not the only one who is having lung/respiratory problems in this forum. There are several posts in the family room on this matter.
I'm on the campaign to get people to stop lampworking when they start having lung problems. I wish I had many years ago but I was bitten with the glass bug and I being able to tell people what I did for a "living" was an adrenalin rush / power / control thing and out of the ordinary.

Honestly in my new profession I'm feeling so much more creative, and I'm actually making a fabulous living beyond my expectations.
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  #4  
Old 2008-08-23, 6:23am
Seph Seph is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heidi von Frozenfyre View Post
Respirators will not help. Believe me. Respirators are for particulate matter but you are dealing with fumes.
What respirator were you using? Many respirators are for particulate matter, but I've found plenty of them rated for gases.

I do appreciate your warning, but I still would like to hear from other long-term torchers on this matter. There are so many other factors to consider besides just the torch. Did you use a lot of powders and frit? Did you always wear a mask when you did? Was it a respirator rated for gases as well as particle matter? How many continuous hours would you spend at your torch? How many hours a year? Was your kiln area also adequately ventilated? And then there are non-glass considerations. like have you ever lived with a smoker? Have you worked with smokers? Have you lived or worked in an industrial area with air quality issues? Do you have any family history of breathing difficulties? ...

I'm not in this for any kind of glory or power-kick or to be different than the mainstream. I'm in it because I really love doing it, and I'm trying very hard to educate myself on the risks. It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that having only one source of information, even a passionate one, does not make for well-rounded research. I'd love to hear from other long-term torchers on the matter.

I will go check out the "family room".
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  #5  
Old 2008-08-23, 7:08am
Seph Seph is offline
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Ok. I've done a search in the family room for "lungs" and come across several people with lung-related health issues. This is from the first page of threads only, so if anyone digs deeper and finds more evidence, I'd love to know.

One person has blood clots in her lungs, but also states that she is prone to clotting.

One person suffered frequent respiratory illness, but admits she grew up asthmatic with parents who smoked around her, *AND* she was cured of her frequent respiratory illnesses when she was treated for an auto-immune disorder.

Another thread talks about lung cancer. The unfortunate cancer patient is a relative of the glass-worker though, so I'm thinking she's not a torcher herself, and again has a history of being exposed to second-hand smoke.

I haven't found anyone other than Heidi who's stated that flamework has ruined their health. I'm still open-minded and looking though, if anyone wants to chime in. This is important.

I'm posting this for other people who are concerned about the issues Heidi is warning us about. I'd still really like to hear from long-timers about their lungs, whether it's to state you have serious health issues or just to say "I wheeze" or "snore" or to state you have a clean bill of health.

The thing is, if three long-term torchers out of fifty have problems with their lungs, I still may consider that an acceptable risk, because I could find 3 out of fifty long-term writers or gardeners or knitters that also have lung issues. ...Maybe I should make a poll?
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  #6  
Old 2008-08-23, 11:13am
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The trick is to know 1. What respirator to use and you don't know for sure unless you know the substance and the exposure level. 2. The correct use of the respirator - it has to fit correctly (seal), be handled correctly, and then remember that it only has a certain amount of hours of safe use in it. If you get either one of those things wrong, you are not protected. If you are pregnant, get a docs approval before wearing one - because in some cases you might be decreasing the amount of oxygen getting to your body/child which might negate the safety effects of wearing one.)

I went and plugged some of my "exposure guesses" in the 3m respirator selection site, (and I'd highly suggest using 3m over some third rate manufactured masks).

Here's the site, but like I said, I'm still guessing at my exposures, so I'm still failing at #1 even though I know how to use a respirator. http://rsel.3m.com/rsel/

I have the N95 8511 and the N100 8233. The N100 was ok for cadmium fumes at twice the maximum exposure limits. With a "Barley box" type of ventilation, I'm guessing I don't exceed max levels. It's just a lot of guessing on my part. But, I don't wear a respirator if I'm only using glass rods and stringers. I really don't know if I should consider it.

Joanne
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  #7  
Old 2008-08-23, 11:25am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seph View Post
Asthmatic newbie here, trying to learn everything I can about keeping my lungs as healthy as possible, because I'm already soooo addicted.

I'm hoping someone can point me towards a decent respirator.
Since your asthmatic, I'd check with your doc before wearing one just as a precaution.

Joanne
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Old 2008-08-24, 11:37am
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Asthmatic newbie here as well. When I torch in my teacher's studio I wear a mask. I recently bought two from Shrimpfire in the Beads Classified section and they are NIOSH certified I think. The link is http://www.lampworketc.com/ppc/showp...duct=674&cat=1. She's lovely

I'm still working (or not - just getting more confused) on the vent system and don't really know where to turn. The same stuff is just not as easily sourced here in Ireland.
Also I have to get the workshop cleaned out and wired so there's still a fair bit to do. . .
Anyway good luck with your set up. Oh I believe there's something about not having a fan as a source for replacement air. I'm not sure where I read that - maybe in the Studio.

Anna
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  #9  
Old 2008-08-24, 12:31pm
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You might want to consider a "Barley Box" type of ventilation instead of a funnel. IMO box-type hoods that come all the way down to the bench on three sides, and have a partial baffle on the front offer better protection than funnel-type systems. You still have to teach yourself not to lean over the torch or you may still be inhaling fumes. My opinion is based on 30+ years of working with chemicals and biologicals in research labs where box-type hoods are always used.
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  #10  
Old 2008-08-25, 6:08am
Seph Seph is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Judi_B View Post
You might want to consider a "Barley Box" type of ventilation instead of a funnel.
I am considering that type, but honestly, I'm *just* claustrophobic enough that if I had a barley box type setup I doubt I'd ever sit there.

My husband built me a lovely L-shaped desk for me to sit at while writing, and I never use it because it's in a corner. It took me months of working elsewhere in the house despite that lovely desk sitting there to realize that sitting facing the corner makes me just uncomfortable enough that I avoid it as much as possible without even thinking about it.

I might as well quit glass work if it means having to work at a barley box type desk because I know I'll find I no longer want to sit and work there. That's why right now I'm looking to assemble one of those powerful funnel systems, the ones you can see bending the flame from the suction. If that's not going to be enough I'm going to have keep the torch work to a minimum and try to find another hobby to obsess over. I don't like the thought of that though, because it's taken me almost 40 years to find this one.
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Old 2008-08-25, 6:31am
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Hey Seph - I never shut up about EFT but I know people can get over phobias with it. I have a CD that shows Vietnam vets getting over PTSD and serious height phobias in sometimes 15 mins or less. I know I wouldn't want to give up lampwork now that I'VE found it - at age 62. There is a great video clip on the home page of www.emofree.com.
Check it out and see if it makes sense to you.
I'm not keen on the Barley Box, not because of claustrophobia, it seems I wouldn't have room for the glass and tools I'd like to have to hand. I could be wrong. And if as Judi says that's the one they use in industry it probably is the way to go.

Anna

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