Respiratory Protection and Beards

[Woodenskye (Bryan)]

Thread transferred from previous forum - Original Post by Kev

Original Post:

Let me start this topic by saying that I am not the respiratory police and what you do in your own shop is your own business! I'm often guilty (on camera and off) of not wearing a respirator when I should be. The question often comes up about respirator use with a beard in the hobby shop. It's hard to argue against the practice with such woodworking giants in the industry doing it all the time and putting it all out there on video for the world to see. However, the fact is that they are not getting a proper seal on the mask and therefor, not getting the intended protection. When occasionally called on it, they simply state that at least they're helping themselves which is really false. It's like only having a "little bit of cancer". It's also hard to argue against respiratory manufacturers whose target market is the hobbyist wood worker and make false or misleading claims about their product protecting the wearer from airborne dust particles.  Suggest just reading the fine print to find their catch.  I'm pretty sure their lawyers aren't going to allow them to really make claims they know are patently false.  Could be they "highly suggest" being clean shaven or their particle size is so large that the mask is pretty ineffective in the first place. As some of you know, I work in the oil and gas industry and respiratory protection is part of my job. Before you jump to conclusions and assume that there's a big difference between oil/gas and woodworking, let me also add that I also deal with refractory contractors, lead abatement contractors, welders and fitters as well as all the other volatile organic compounds that come with the oil and gas industry so, I'm well aware of the respiratory protection requirements in a wood working shop. In industry, to be able to wear a respirator on the job, a pulmonary function test and medical clearance from a doctor are required before they even allow you to have a fit test for the specific mask that you intend to use. If you were to show up for the fit test with a beard, you would be immediately denied the test until you were clean shaven. This is purely because you absolutely cannot get a proper seal on a mask with a beard and, therefore, could not pass the fit test. So, as I said in the opening, what you do in your shop is your business. I'm not the hobbyist respiratory police but, I will say, those posting instructional videos wearing respiratory protection with a beard are doing their followers a great disservice! I'm not a fan of the YouTube Safety Police and refuse to toss my name in that ring. However, I thought I'd toss the information out here for you guys to use as you see fit. I'm always available if you have questions!

Follow Up Posts: 1)  So for a full face respirator, I have researched that some have a power pack (trend air shield) others have cartridge filters (3M) as long as the seal is tight over the beard and let's say under the chin, are the cartridge units as effective? 2)  Not beard related but I’ll ask anyway. I had heard it mentioned that more the pink cartridges are exposed to the air, the less effective they are. That pertains to fumes and not dust, right? 3)  The ones with the "power pack" are actually known as Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) and actually feed filtered air into the mask. They do offer a better level of protection than just filters. If the beard is a must then, the PAPR is the better alternative. As with any respirator relying on a seal to the face, any interruption in that seal reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of that mask. 4)  Great question! Most manufacturers recommend that cartridges be replaced each shift (8 hours). What does that mean in our shops? Well, you can prolong their life if you seal them up in a plastic bag between uses but, they're not meant to last as long as most of us ask them to. As for fumes or dust - Not all cartridges are created equal. For fumes, you need an Organic Vapor cartridge and for dust (mostly what we deal with) you need a Hepa filter. The Organic Vapor (OV) cartridge will actually clog up and be no good faster than the Hepa cartridge. Most manufacturers recommend a max of 8 hours use on any of their cartridges. In then end, when you notice it becoming a little harder to breathe, change the cartridges out! 5)  Well, razor blades are a heck of a lot cheaper than a PAPR, and five years ago that respirator I bought was a waste of money. I guess I really need to see if the cartridge types fit my face. 6)  I have the 3M 6291 and really like the fit. Prior to it, I had an elipsemask with the paper filters. No comparison. 7)  3M makes good stuff, just change the filters once in a while...lol. Next time you change the filters, before you install the new ones and after taking the old ones off, put the respirator on and plug the filter holes with the palms of your hands. If the mask sucks tight to your face and you can't physically get air in, then you probably have a pretty good seal. This really is the "poor mans" way to do a fit test. 8  I use isopropyl alcohol pads to clean the mask itself after each use. Is there a better way? 9)  Respirators come in different sizes. Usually small, medium, and large. This is where the "fit test" comes into play to ensure that the mask fits your face properly. There are rare occasions when the user can not get a seal from a particular manufacturer and is forced to switch to a different manufacturer. Most adult males usually take a large but, there's quite a few (like myself) that take a medium. 10)  Nope, that's awesome! From there, just store it in a sealed bag and you're doing as you should. 11)  Seems to be lots going around right now around respiratory protection so, I tossed this together to help answer some of the basic questions that come up.. Always so many questions about respirators in the shop! Which manufacturer, which cartridge, what if I have a beard, what about these new companies who claim to have all the answers? I'll start with the easy part. If you're not willing to shave the beard then, you're more concerned with your personal appearance than your lungs. That is just a fact but, it's also a personal choice and your decision to make. So, what about these new companies who claim to be able to fit guys with beards? Nope! They might toss some fancy data at you to support their position but, if you read the fine print, you're not truly protected! The RZ mask is the latest which seems to be all the rage. Take a look at their advertisements and you'll notice a bunch of clean shaven men using them. Even for them, this is still not even close to the best option! This is really nothing more than a paper mask with a bigger price tag. Which manufacturer? Lots of good ones out there and this one comes down to which one fits your face best. Not all masks are created equal! If you're not going to invest in a proper fit test, then do the next best thing and put the mask on, plug the cartridge holes, and try to inhale. If you can't get air in, chances are that you have a pretty good seal. Which cartridge? Hepa is for dust and Organic Vapor is for fumes. They're not interchangeable. The size of the particulate matter is very different. Most manufacturers do make a "stacked" cartridge which is good for both. They're a little harder to breathe through, assuming you have a good seal, and probably won't last as long because of the different sizes of the particulate matter. How long do they last? This is the tricky part for what we do as woodworkers. Most manufacturers are going to claim about 8 hours use before recommending changing the cartridges out. Obviously, they design in a little fudge room in that number so, you have a little wiggle room. How much? For me, my ability to adequately get air is usually the tell-tale that my filters need to be changed. How to store your respirator? In a sealed bag! Don't toss it on a shelf, hang it from a hook, etc. Store them in a sealed bag to get the most out of them. Maintenance. You should use an alcohol wipe to clean them after each day's use and before storing them for the night. Change the cartridges when needed! And, do a deep clean about once a month to prolong the life of the respirator. Once a month is based on an average hobbyist woodworker. If you find yourself spending a lot of time in your respirator, then this frequency should be increased accordingly! I hope this answers some of the common questions.