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While many people will wear sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun, not many folks wear respirators around the house to protect themselves from the formaldehyde found in so many household products. Sure, we are a safety company and we'd love to see a respirator on every face and in every home. But in this case, you might be better protected with information. For instance, did you know that nail polish, glues, adhesives, and pressed-wood products like plywood and particle board tha …

The vast majority of people who enjoy shooting guns at indoor ranges are very conscious of safety. They wear hearing protection for their ears, and eye protection for their eyes. But very few wear respirators to protect their lungs from the lead dust that is nearly always present. Most shooters who frequent indoor ranges are aware of the potential for lead poisoning, but don't worry much about it. This can be a serious mistake. Lead, even at low levels, can significantly affect a person …

There is an old saying when in comes to safety that "the best mask is one you'll wear". And we agree. However, if there are a couple of masks comfortable enough to keep on while you work, then you've got some choices to make. For simple wood sanding, some folks recommend the old standard 3M 8210 particulate respirator. Lots of people would call this style a dust mask. Others would say that it's barely better than nose hair. It's an N95 which means it will filter out 95% of the particulat …

This weekend was kind of a nightmare. After getting rear-ended on my way home from work, I decided to make myself a much-deserved cup of tea—except instead of turning on the burner below my pot of lukewarm water, I accidentally flipped the one to the right.* After only about thirty seconds my husband and I noticed smoke coming from the kitchen.  Peter hopped off the couch, ran into the kitchen, and managed to take the leftover piece of plastic** from flames to a warped cooling mess. Imme …

Chances are all of us have some level of exposure to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is inexpensive to produce and has a wide range of uses from building materials such as paint or the glue used to bind plywood, particle board and paneling to the Brazilian Blowout, a hair-straitening product found to contain startlingly high concentrations of this dangerous compound. For those who work in industries where formaldehyde is used regularly the dangers are quite serious. Even light contact wit …

The Airwave disposable respirator by Moldex is one of those exceptional and delightful instances when a change is an actual breakthrough, like the first jet aircraft or nuclear submarine. In the world of disposable respirators, the Airwave is at that level of world-changing event. Not only does it promise greater breathability than a valve respirator, it is also much cheaper and easier on the person wearing it. The statistics tell the story. Notice its cool accordion shape? Its …

Confined spaces can be a pain to ventilate, and every location you work in will be a little different. As a result, it can be difficult to find your bearings when you're first starting out. We're well aware of this, so we've put together this basic guide to help you complete your first ventilation jobs safely.1. What are we up against? Start every job this way: Assess the safety of your confined space by using a multi-gas detector with a pump and a remote test probe. These two features w …

A common inquiry from customers concerns protection from mold exposure, particularly when trying to clean up or get rid of mold. Our focus will be on choosing respirator and filters. First, we should probably say that there are a couple of considerations. Some people are simply more sensitive to mold than others and even small exposures will make them ill. Second, not all mold is created equal. Some forms, Stachybotrys chartarum (often referred to as black mold) can have severe health c …

"Why don't employers give their workers the best respiratory protection?" This is a question that we run into all the time. It basically comes down to two issues: fit testing and cost. Fit Testing Many employers believe that if they are not offering an approved mask to their workers, they don’t need to worry about fit testing. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. Since the only way to know for sure that a mask is doing its job is through fit testing, OSHA makes it a mandatory part …

In this post we will look at a customer who was working with bleach and mold. This customer will need a respirator mask and filters to protect against both. We will look at what combinations do that: I am looking for a respirator and respirator cartridges to protect me while I apply a bleach solution to my entire attic to kill mold. What would be the correct combination of mask and filters for that application? This poses an interesting question. In looking at a mask and filter …