Safety Masks

Jewelry Discussion
1

The February issue of Consumer Reports has an article on safety
masks which neatly summarizes what types of masks to wear in various
situations. This isn’t new but is a good reminder of
what we all need to be aware of. Check it out if you can.
Otherwise, here are some of the recommendations especially important
for the jewelers among us:

  1. Check the package of the masks you’re buying to be sure they are
    approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
    Health (NIOSH) for your particular purpose.

  2. For allergens and dust, use a disposable, NIOSH-approved N, R or
    P (95-100) particulate filtering mask.

  3. For solvents, use a NIOSH-approved half-face or full-face mask
    with P100 filter and cartridge for volatile organic vapor.

  4. For fumes from welding and soldering, use a NIOSH-approved
    half-face or full-face mask with P100 filter and cartridge for dust
    and fumes.

Beth

2

I can’t agree with this more. Not only do I do alot of polishing and
grinding of silver while constructing. I smoke. At first I was
foregoing the use of a mask while working.It was just too much
trouble and uncomfortable. I had a regular check up with a doctor and
he told me that my lungs sounded terrible. that was no surprise, I
was coughing alot. My husband brought home a mask from work one day
and told me to try it out. After about a week of wearing it ,my
coughing stopped and at the next doctor’s appointment he
congratulated me on smoke cessation. I hadn’t quit smoking , I’d
quit inhaling polish and silver dust. Now if I could find a mask for
my keyboard ,I’ll be happy. Use those masks!

3

This brings up another caution. We unavoidably work with heavy
metals and other bad stuff and need to minimize our risks of
incorporating them into our bodies, while still being able to do our
work. The two main portals for entrance are our noses and mouth.
The masks are one of the solutions, along with good ventilation, for
eliminating the nose portal. But the other risk, particularly to
smokers, is from bad stuff on our fingers getting into our mouth on
cigarettes or food. I ban cigs from the studio as well as food. And
I 'm careful how I pick up my cofee cup. Tom

4

Hi Lisa, Just curious what kind of mask you are using. I have
asthma and am really bothered when I do alot of polishing but I find
masks very difficult to wear. I can’t breath and they completely fog
up my glasses. Any suggestions for a style that works better and is
more comfortable??? GRACEDr. E. Hanuman Aspler
Webmaster

support@ganoksin.com

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5

Grace, the mask I wear is a Moldex(?) for Fume Dust and Mist…It does
fog up glasses but there is a cleaner for glasses that keeps them
from fogging too bad. unfortunately I don’t have any of that right
now and can’t tell you the name of the cleaner but it’s available
thru your optometrist at least. It took me a little while to adjust
to wearing a mask because I felt like it was constricting my
breathing itself. Relax and try wearing it before getting into any
precise work. Once you get used to breathing thru the mask, then add
the glasses, safety or otherwise. It’s definitely less comfortable to
work this way. But I like to breath and not cough! Lisa

6 
    . . . Just curious what kind of mask you are using.  I have
asthma and am really bothered when I do alot of polishing but I
find masks very difficult to wear.  I can't breath and they
completely fog up my glasses. Any suggestions for a style that works
better and is more comfortable?

I was trying to catch up on a little Orchid reading and came across
this thread. Some of the tricks I used in my years as a surgical
nurse have helped in my jewelry life as well. This is one of them.
We wore masks at all times in the OR (operating room) so we had to
find ways to maintain vision and filtration.

Some of the masks have a flexible metal strip at the upper edge of
the mask just for this purpose. You can form-fit the mask by shaping
the strip over your nose. When the upper edge of the mask fits
closer to your face the exhaled vapors are less likely to cause your
glasses to fog and the mask is more effective as well.

You may also try adding a strip of non-irritating tape across the
top edge to “seal” it to your face. This helps when there is no metal
strip and improves the effect even with the fitted strip. It also
cuts down on the annoying shifting of the mask which otherwise bumps
and nudges your glasses as you work.

The paper tapes used in surgery are more gentle on the skin and can
be found in the first aid section of most large drugstores. If you
will be using it frequently, your choice of tape will make a
difference to your skin and comfort. :slight_smile:

HTH Pam Chott Songofthephoenix@pobox.com www.songofthephoenix.com

7

Hi, Some of the best things to do with facemasks, to keep glasses
from fogging up:

  1. Moving air if you are perspiring. A fan right on you, even
    slightly, to keep your body temperature stable. And especially on
    hot days. I like to blow it on my back. Try not to perspire alot,
    relax.

  2. always keep your top mask strap, well fitted, so that test
    breaths that you make go out the bottom of the mask, exaust port. The
    mask must be pushed back to your face, especially in line with the
    nose, then adjust the straps Make sure no air is being released
    anywhere along your top face line, especially around the top of your
    nose.

  3. There are many beautiful double filter masks to choose from,
    but the best that I have found is the 3M, 2 numbers inside they are
    CE 0086, and EN140. It takes a 2047 filter(dust-fume-mist, etc.)
    And it is superlightweight(new technology), thin carbon filters.
    And the nose stays up on your face, where normally the filters pull
    the mask down after the elastic straps stretch over time, causing hot
    air to escape to your glasses, these filters have practically no
    weight so you’re cool. My friend uses them in the body shop that he
    works in, awesome!

soulwood jewelry