[AT] respirators and Isocyanates (Urethane paint)

[Steve W.]

John Wilkens wrote:
> Thanks Steve for the good painting suggestions!  I did fashion some 
> heavy plastic curtains with gromets that fasten to the ceiling of my 
> shop with heavy cup hooks behind one of the garage doors to paint in, 
> but that was just to help keep the paint spray off of all the other 
> stuff in the shop.   Works pretty good that way but concentrates the 
> fumes where I paint!  Maybe I can redesign that a bit for fan and 
> filters.   Couple questions:   Why not use shop air for an 
> air-supplied mask if  sources away from the paint fumes and goes 
> through the usual moisture filters and has no inline oil 
> injector?  (Cost is a factor here).     Tell me about the Inter-Spiro 
> units you mentioned. Is there one available for sale that would 
> work?  I was looking at a half mask air-supplied respirator in the 
> McMaster-Carr catalog (#5494T91) for $187 that might work OK for me 
> if I wear a hat.   Thanks again for your help.  John Wilkens
> 
> 

The catch with ISO is that getting it on your skin is as bad as 
breathing it. It will absorb through the skin as well.

If you set up the fans and filters it will eliminate a lot of the fumes 
BUT you still want a good system. The nice thing about any ASR is that 
it can be used in a LOT of situations other than just painting. 
Sandblasting, paint stripping, sanding sheetrock, working around bad 
chemicals. They are nice because a side benefit is that the constant air 
flow keeps you cooler and you don't fog up either.

What I use is a disposable coverall and a full hood respirator.

The reason you don't use shop air is that ANY oil in the system will 
cause a MAJOR health problem called hydrocarbon pneumonitis. Most of the 
ASR units use a turbine style compressor with LOTS of filtration and NO 
oils of any kind. You can buy the filter units reasonable if you shop 
around.

The Inter Spiro units we have are a full mask unit with a built in radio 
connection. To use them with a shop air system you would need the filter 
system and some NEW oil free air line.


Steve Williams
Firefighter,EMT
VanHornesville Vol. Fire Dept