MARKUS_P

Everybody knows that the little fiberglass particles which occur during sanding your beloved corvette are dangerous to your health.
I´m working on the body now for about 5 month and always used a respirator. Although I did everything to avoid breathing in dust particles I´m quite sure that a good amount of them stick in my lungs. After working for a few hours I can feel the dust particles in my eyes, scrachting and hurting....
And I can feel that my throat is irritated. I knew that fiberglass partices are dangerous, but I always thought that the lung would regenerate itself if time goes on.
WRONG!!!! :eek:
I asked our safety man in our company about polyester fibers/dust and he said that the particles really stick in your lungs. You can´t cough them out or so. Further more they can cause chronic diseases....... not to mention even cancer......
SO PLEASE ALWAYS USE A RESPIRATOR, EVEN IF IT´S ONLY A LITTLE PART YOU SAND....
I have to admit that I was sometimes a little lazy, and that my mask should have been changed because it´s full of dust. Today I´ll buy a professional mask with changeable filters to protect myself better than I did before.
Don´t think that I used a cheap mask, it simply doesn´t has changeable filters....
The reason why I wrote this is
1) to warn you about this particles and
2) that I wanna hear your experinces with polyester.
Maybe there are some bodymen out there or you know somebody who got sick because of the dust?
Maybe I was told wrong and it´s not so dangerous as I think but I don´t have a good feeling about working without a mask.
Sorry for the lenght of the text....



[Modified by MARKUS_P, 1:09 AM 11/21/2001]

Dalannex

I have no stories for you, but it is a good reminder. Everyone wear a respirator, just to be on the safe side. I do, just because I would like to be around a long time to see my kids kids grow up. :cheers:

GTR1999

Throw the paper mask/respirators out unless you're just a sweeping the floor of dirt. I use a rubber,cartridge,paper filter paint respirator for most dust/paint protection-although some paints will get through even this type of mask. I haven't started ant fiberglass work yet but would use this type of mask for this too. I knew a bodyman who only wore the paper masks when doing bodywork- he died at 35. I think you're right in reminding people of the hazards involved.
Gary

dually4wd

I've been doing body work for about 15 years, and I always have tried to limit my exposure to all of the bad stuff we use. Some of the polyurethane activators are especially nasty, and I want to be around a while still. I also read before that repeated exposure to solvents can cause short -term memory loss, but I can't remember where... ;)

MARKUS_P

gtr, you said he died at 35. Do you know what killed him?
Lungcancer or something like that?

Here´s a pic of the mask which I used until now (the black one in the middle)
The next one on the right is the mask I ordered today....

Edzred72

After painting cars for 10yrs, a co-worker quit, and came to my company. He has chronic lung problems from that job. Also a reminder for those that have heated garages with cold air returns into their home furnaces. CLOSE THEM OFF (with duct tape) WHEN DOING BODY WORK, AND KEEP YOUR LITTLE ONES OUT OF THE GARAGE. :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: