Source
r/WorkplaceSafety•
Corpsemprah

Accidentally put respirator filter in backwards..

Hello everyone. So today was the first day of a new job installing polyaspartic coatings to garage floors. Step one of the process involves grinding down the existing concrete to make a cleaner, better surface for the materials being layered on it. This of course creates a large amount of dust, surely containing silica. I was using a 3M 6000 series respirator mask but accidentally put one of the two small particulate filters in upside down. It was only after we finished grinding that I thought to do a seal check on the mask and noticed I couldn't get it to suction properly to my face when covering the intakes with my hands. That is when I noticed the backwards filter, the side that should have been facing inward covered in concrete dust. I didnt see any dust on the inside of the mask but I'm a little paranoid now that I may have been breathing in some of this dangerous dust. I put a new filter in properly and the mask is now good to go, but do you all think I have anything to worry about? Silicosis is not something I particularly want to have later in life...

Posted Apr 24, 2019, 3:33 PM UTC · edited

25
Brocktoberfest•

No one gets silicosis from a single dose. Chronic exposure is the concern. Leak check your respirator ALWAYS when you put it on.

Also, I am intrigued by this mask that allows you to put in cartridges backward. It seems like a terrible design. Either that, or it really doesn't matter what direction the cartridges go in...

7
FlipSchitz•

Agreed. I'd like to see that mask because I have never seen such a design.

3
charlieamc•

I'm sure it worked just fine. Given it's your first day I presume the filter hadn't been used before by you or anyone else? As long as you didn't inhale a previous day's filtrations, I'd say the filter did it's job

2
wr-nason•

I’d say you have a 1-2 months to live. Better you affairs in order.

1
ecclectic•

Are you using the 6001 VOC filter with a 5N11 particulate pad that's held in place with a 501 retainer?

For clarification

​

I've done that once or twice painting, and never noticed a difference. You should really be using the 2097 particulate filters when grinding and the VOC ones when you're laying the coating, if you keep them in a secure storage, they'll last longer and you'll get better service using them discretely. (It's also cheaper)

​

If you aren't getting a proper seal when you've taken the cartridges off, then your mask is improperly sized. Has your employer done a proper fit test for you?

1