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When working with dangerous chemicals, you should always research what you will be exposed to and how to best protect yourself from it. Here is a question about working with a dangerous chemical: Does 3M make a respirator cartridge for isocyanate? For the sake of this discussion, I think it is important we all know a little bit about isocyanate. It is a powerful irritant of the mucous membranes, the gastrointestinal tract, and the respiratory system. You can neither smell nor tast …

When using a 3M 2091 Particulate Filter in the field, it is important to change it frequently enough to ensure that you are still getting the necessary protection. I receive many questions asking about the lifetime of these filters. Here is one of the more recent questions: I know it depends on usage and environment, but are the 2091 particulate filters designed to be used and then stored until needed again or are they meant to be used once and then thrown out? If I use this filter f …

Over the years we have had a lot of questions about fall protection. It can have disastrous consequences if you don't have the right type. That being said, fall protection, in general, has been getting better and better. Here is a common discussion I have regarding SRL's. What is an SRL? While some people believe SRL stands for Self-Retracting Lanyard, it really is an abbreviation for Self-Retracting Lifeline. Although that term may not mean much to you at first, it is actually a somewh …

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, we received lots of orders for DuPont 1414 Tyvek Coverall Suits. These make great costumes for everything from space explorers to hazmat clean up crews. Over the years we have seen some really creative uses! With all of these orders have come many questions about sizing. This size chart is fairly straightforward, just find your height and your weight, and where the two intersect will be your size. It is important to keep in mind that if you are …

Our Ansell Hyflex gloves are some our our most popular safety gloves. They are not only tough but flexible, offering more dexterity than your usual safety glove. I recently got a question about the sizing of these gloves: I am looking at your Ansell Hyflex 11-600 Polyurethane Coated Glove. I see that they come in many sizes, but how do I know which one is right for my hand size? For industrial gloves, including the Ansell Hyflex gloves, sizing is determined by measuring around you …

When using fall protection, even if you have the appropriate protection for your setup, it is important to know when to replace your gear. I recently got a question asking just that: I recently noticed that this hook does not look like the others. There is a red band on top of the hook and something appears to be missing in the same area. I have attached photos of the hook. Can you please look at the photos and tell me if something looks wrong? Is this just an older style hook or should we …

I recently got a question about what type of filters should be used for a very interesting project. Although few of my readers will probably have the same exact application, the concept is still the same. Let's take a look: I am member of a pistol shooting club and I melt my own lead from wheel weights, cast my own bullets and shoot the heck out of the lead semi wadcutters that I make. Having said all that, what masks should I use to try and minimize lead exposure when I am casting and/ …

On any job where you are going to be working off of the ground, it is important to consider fall protection. Having the right type of fall protection gear can save lives and prevent injury. If you are unsure of which protection is right for you, as always, feel free to contact us and ask! Let's look at a question someone recently asked about obtaining the right kind of fall protection for a particular application: We operate 6 order pickers in our warehouse. Racking where the order pickers …

In my last post I discussed the 6001 organic vapor cartridge and the 6000 half face piece and 7500 half face piece masks it is compatible with. I recently had a customer who wanted to step up his protection from one of these half face piece masks to a full face piece mask. Here was his question: Three months ago I bought a 3M half face respirator for working with lead paint work. It fits well and still works just fine, but I need to step up to full face protection. As I have mentione …

I recently had a customer ask me about what organic vapor cartridges would be appropriate for his job. Let's explore the options. I have a 1/2 mask 3M 7500 respirator and am looking for organic vapor cartridges. My immediate uses are for dealing with organic solvents and various VOC's such as MEK (acetone), toluene, and gasoline. I am also a licensed commercial pesticide applicator and am looking for a cartridge that would double for that application. This involves mostly suspensions (I …