A /diy/ tale.
I'm a hobby woodworker, I make fancy boxes, canes, jewelry and the like. Almost always I wear a dust mask, the 3M kind with the two pink filters. It works great, it's comfortable, the only issue is that it gets humid inside the mask.
Well, last year during the summer in Florida, it was already very, very humid. Wearing the mask made it difficult to really get oxygen because of how damn hot and humid Florida is. So instead of taking a break, I continued to sand and work with black Walnut and other woods. JUST FOR AN HOUR OR SO.
I have a poor immune system, and I work in a nursing home. So after some moist exotic wood dust made its way into my lungs (oh it was there, I was coughing a good bit), I went to work and got exposed to MRSA (the shit's everywhere).
I started experiencing chest pain after a few days and I ignored it (I have chronic pain, I hurt all the time). It got worse. It got harder to breathe because of the chest pain.
I was a tough guy and I waited too long to go to the hospital. They said if I was there an hour later I'd have been dead. I ended up with a severe MRSA infection in my lungs. For the next few days my fiancé had to feed me and stay by my side because of the critical condition. Because of the poor oxygen supply to my brain, and the significant infection, I ended up with kidney failure, heart attack, hallucinations and other issues.
I was 23 years old.
I barely, barely made it back and I had just asked the most wonderful woman in the world, kind smart and cute and an old soul, to marry me. I almost died three times in that hospital. I cannot stress enough the importance of having family or friend with you in the hospital; healthcare workers are often incompetent or abusive. And most of all,
Please wear a dust mask.
>>1010428
it sound logic to always wear a mask for those works
it's also nice that you're still alive
wood particles are not like asbestos, metal or ceramic dust. wood dust usually breaks down in the lungs and gets "digested" without incident.
not that you shouldn't wear masks, and use dust collection, you should, but breathing a little wood dust isn't so bad.
my neighbor's husband died of mesothelioma. he was a mechanic who breathed a lot of brake dust. brake pads and shoes are made of asbestos, which causes lung cancer.
never change you brakes without wearing a mask.
if you have a bad immune system, you probably shouldn't work in healthcare. being around sick people can easily make you sick.
>>1010445
Toppest of keks
>organic vapor filters
>not just using a dust mask
>not just relying on your nose hairs
OP, you need a mask because when you inhale some black walnut you almost die. I don't have your Bubble Boy disease. As a carpenter, nobody I know uses dust protection, and none of my peers are sitting at in the hospital with MRSA. You could advocate those with poor immune systems and sensitivities to different types of wood should wear a dust mask, but few people need (or want) to wear a full size respirator every time they make a cut.
cars and trucks on the highway generate millions of tons of asbestos dust every year. especially when they apply the brakes near a police speed-trap. state police who write tickets on the interstate breath this dust all day long.
The states collect a lot of revenue by writing tickets, but are the health risks really worth it?
these officers are literally putting their life on the line, breathing asbestos, just to fine people for going a few miles an hour over the speed limit.
combine that risk with the steroids they take, and the risk of getting run over by other motorists while they are standing in the road writing tickets to meet their quota. it doesn't seem worth it. Those guys need to wear breathing apparatus out there on the highways. how many ppm of asbestos are they breathing all day long. How many officers have died of cancer?
The police can't stop writing tickets, or the governor wouldn't be able to afford those $40 each muffins he gives out at his campaign fundraising events, but at least he could give the officers dust masks, or maybe bandannas to wear as the plunder on the highways.
>>1010457
What retarded country do you live in where brake pads still use asbestos? It's been banned for years in civilised countries.
>>1010471
what fantasy world do you live in, where they don't use asbestos in brakes and clutches? asbestos was never banned.
they can't ban asbestos, there is NO suitable replacement.
>>1010471
>implying that metallic, and ceramic brake dust in your lungs is all well and good.
what we need are wooden brake pads and clutches.
wood dust isn't so bad when you breathe it.
>>1010479
I'm not the previous latest, but Australia banned asbestos brake pads, shoes and clutches from 2003. Get with the program.
dust mask, and basically a wall of box fans to blow the dust away
and i take breaks, mostly because i work with sharp as fuck tools, and like my fingers where they are so i concentrate on my work so being tired or unfocused while doing it is a bad idea
>>1010428
Some timbers act as a sensitiser and irritant, so if you're body's already getting beat up by MRSA (nasty!) then it might not have had enough left to fight off any slight allergies from trace amounts of timber.
Here's a list of timbers just as a FYI for their properties and potential problems-
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
Some of them I kind of disagree with like Mulga which is generally not toxic, other like Wenge which I've used in the past are quite nasty if you're not careful.
Get well soon
>>1010479
What the fuck dude that shit has been banned since the 80s over here. Do you live in Africa or something?
>>1010538
manufacturing incandescent light bulbs was banned in the united states. doesn't mean people can't still use them in the united states.
fluorescent light bulbs contain toxic mercury - kids think it's cool to use them as light sabers and break them inhaling the mercury. they haven't been banned.
asbestos is still used in brakes and clutched today, around the world.
sometimes "banned" just means you have to pay a "tax" to buy something. like machine guns, and assault rifles are banned unless you pay a fee, then you can have them.
banning something doesn't make it magically disappear. millions of cars and trucks built before 2003 are still on the roads, and still have asbestos parts in them.
>>1010428
I work for a major phone company as a tech. We aren't really exposed to much. Just if we're drilling in masonry or crawling through a nasty attic or something.
But the attic is similar conditions to you. The company supplies N95 masks if you ask. Supply is such a nightmare that it gets annoying to stay on top of. Like 2 months to get a box of zipties. So a lot of try-hard techs buy their own shit.
So a guy bought a nice 3m mask like you. But he didn't change filters, because we only wear it for 15 minutes at a time and you can hardly be bothered to track your wear-time like that. He took it up in an attic, and had trouble breathing like you, and had some serious health complications like you.
We had to get a company memo reminding us that we're not allowed to bring our own tools and it's now a class 1 (instant fire if it's the second class 1 you've had in 10 years) safety violation to wear a respirator, unless your job specifically requires one, like some building maintenance or chemical work jobs.
tldr;
Change your filters kids, they don't last forever. It should not be difficult to breath in your respirator.
>>1010566
filters are breeding ground for all kinds of mold and bacteria. a used filter can be worse than no filter at all.
this includes water filters. really nasty stuff grows in them after a year of trapping sediment from your water pipes.
don't take risks with your health
talk to your union about the company not providing safety equipment
>>1010449
Doesn't cause lung cancer, it causes asbestosis
>>1010428
Most people don't understand just how much dust can be created in a short amount of time if they have never done a significant amount of sanding.
I installed, sanded, and finished hardwood floors for years. Our saws and sanders just had simple dust collection bag setups which worked just fine. Until we showed up to some rich fucks house in Park City to find piles of a wood labeled "Massaranduba".
The cutting began shortly and the coughing shortly after that. Most flooring is well milled so splinters are not an issue but not with this shit. It splintered easy and the splinters burned. I've never seen grown men so desperately begging other men to "please please please dig it out".
The boss is kind of a dick and doesn't want to send someone to buy dust masks (didn't have any because literally never used them before) so we keep going until his old ass starts to get sick.
We work only about 5-6 hours that day before our lungs are on fire and hands swollen because of the tiniest splinter.
Next day boss shows up with dust masks and a $4,000 Clarke dust collection system.
Turns out the shit is called "bulletwood" and grows in the Amazon. So not only were we idiots for supporting deforestation, but also this shit has clearly developed some sort of defense mechanism. Makes sense, the Amazon is a crazy place. As far as I know no one suffered any permanent health problems. But I am definitely more aware of what I'm breathing in these days. I'll wear a respirator to snake a toilet, just in case.
>>1010582
Our local boss and supply are actually pretty good so we're allowed to keep a reasonable stock and reorder before we're out, but I can totally understand a guy where they don't supply them reasonably but will claim they do. I think they got hosed in the case, but just put out the memo to try to cover their ass next time.
>>1010566
Ha
I change mine religiously. The 40 hours or 1 month whichever comes first isn't a mild suggestion.
>>1010457
That is interesting. Police officers are probably not at a huge risk though. The people who need to be worried are mechanics changing brake pads, tollbooth attendants, and other people who are in close proximity to braking areas.
>>1010590
Scary. Those tropical hardwoods can fuck your shit up. Years ago I learned the hard way the necessity of wearing a mask when I was making some cocobolo tool handles.
>>1010548
Maybe in your backwards country but over here nobody was allowed to use asbestos past 85 or something. You might find it on very old barn find oldtimers but nothing that has been driving in the last two decades will have asbestos in it because those parts will have been worn down and replaced (with non asbestos replacements)
The hunt for asbestos has gone so far over here that the government is actively searching for asbestos roofs etc (barns and sheds) and forcing the owners to get it removed.
Maybe that shit flies in America but on the other side of the pond they take this shit seriously
>>1010548
Okay I found documentation in my own language that warns of illegally imported asbestos containing parts from China and America but it mentions that this is a rare occurrence. I also found something about a recall in Australia back use they found out that a company snuck asbestos containing parts into their country.
Your country is crazy for not banning that kind of shit like the rest of the world.
>>1010428
>I had just asked the most wonderful woman in the world, kind smart and cute and an old soul, to marry me.
Run, you fool!
Honestly, I just find it easy to wear a dustmask. Whenever I'm in the hardware shop I buy more. They don't get in the way
>>1010701
Australia is the only first world country that has totally outlawed all raw asbestos, Asbestos containing materials, and processed asbestos.
If you don't live in Austraila, your country allows it. Unless somethings changed in the last year.
There's also multiple types of asbestos, and not all are bad for you. They are, after all, naturally occurring
>>1010835
example
>>1010428
you didn't get MRSA from the sawdust, retard
>>1010457
>The states collect a lot of revenue by writing tickets, but are the health risks really worth it?
Yes.
>state gets money in
>worthless cog dies early so he collects on his pension for less time
For the state its a win win.
>>1010855
o.p. never said he got mrsa from sawdust, retard.
got it from being a healthcare worker after getting lungs inflamed due to sawdust.
insouciant namecalling fucktard.
>>1010669
Right? Makes you wonder what else is in there. I know some long time wood workers, myself included, see wood as something more than a raw material. I've found musket balls in South Carolina walnut.
Some wood even has an energy too it. Makes me wonder if cutting into some obscure Amazonian rainforest planks is going to release an ancient evil, or some pissed off Alux.
Maybe I'm just too high.
>>1010590
>Turns out the shit is called "bulletwood"
That would be like trying to sand concrete, shits tough
>>1010815
Lived in two different European countries, both outlawed the use of asbestos back in the 80s
Stop trying to defend your own 3rd world shithole
>>1010913
No I get you
My wood carries an energy for sure
>>1010471
I'm this guy. Uk, Australia and pretty much all of Europe banned asbestos use in the 80s. Removal of asbestos products is carefully controlled.
To the poster that said that not all asbestos is harmful - yes it is but certain versions are a lot more harmful - blue asbestos is really bad but all of it can give you mesothelioma.
My uncle was a lagger in a power station and he and ALL of his lagger orkmates succumbed to mesothelioma.
>>1010449
Brake pads and shoes are not made with asbestos anymore. On vehicles with really old drum brakes, they might still have asbestos pads, but they don't make them like that anymore.
I've got a construction story for you guys.
working in a old house knocking down a lath and plaster ceiling. It's taking way to long and I've got other shit to do. I decided to climb up into the loft and start kicking down the plaster. Halfway through the job the joist I'm standing on comes loose and falls its a 4 meter drop and I land on my back on top of the joist I was fine but it hurt like fuck. I look too too my right side and there's a spike nail sticking out of the joist about 6 inches. it grazed my side all I had was a scratch. If I fell a inch more to the right it would have pierced my lung
The nail was similar to the pic but bigger and sharper
>>1010952
Weed sure. Shrooms, not on a work day.
Also no one wants you high or drunk at work because you will literally kill yourself or someone else.
>>1010428
>I have a poor immune system, and I work in a nursing home
This doesn't sound like a very good idea.
PPE is great and all, but I think you misattribute the root cause.
>>1010988
Money and time aren't always worth losing your life and/or doing a shitty job. I've learned in all areas of life to take your time to do it right and you'll save money, time, effort, stress, reputation, self-respect, and health in the long run.
>>1011027
It wasn't a shitty job I was renovating a house for someone and enjoyed every minute of it apart from nearly killing myself. but I agree with you I won't be doing that again lesson was learned.
THEY DO NOT MAKE BRAKE PADS N SHIT WITH ASBESTOS ANYMORE
not supposed to at least
but here in canada, we export assloads of asbestos to shit countries every year
shit countries dont give a fuck what they make brakes out of, and they make our brakes
>I have a poor immune system, and I work in a nursing home.
Bad idea.
>>1010479
>asbestos was never banned.
>they can't ban asbestos, there is NO suitable replacement.
Bullshit. Semi-metallic compounds work fine even in racing applications.
>>1011308
Oh yeah, and how am I going to get my self cleaning tablecloths w/o asbestos?
http://io9.gizmodo.com/5833469/the-sordid-bizarre-history-of-asbestos-goes-all-the-way-back-to-emperor-charlemagne
>>1011385
You can have your baby's PJs be non flammable or non toxic, but not both...
>>1010952
Yeah but only while you are working with a pencil. If you work with power tools while high... you're gonna have a bad time.
>>1011394
Just don't let your baby fall asleep with a lit cigarette.
>cut greenheart often
>shit is known to be toxic and splinters get infected for no known reason
>tfw just hold your breath
>>1011282
This. Look at where brake and pads are manufactured now (mostly China), and recall that businesses there are willing to poison infants with melamine to make a buck. But I'm sure they strictly abide by all regulations regarding asbestos ...
>>1011479
you won't be able to import that shit into first world countries.
In the netherlands the use of asbestos has been banned sincs 1986 and by 2024 it is illegal to still have asbestos roofs on barns and sheds, which is basically the only place where you might have a chance to find asbestos over here. they are planning to use drones now that can detect asbestos in order to hunt down the last few shitty sheds and barns and tear that shit down
just stop trying to defend your own 3rd world shithole, it's not your personal fault that your government fails to protect its people for decades
>>1011518
Enjoy your naivety friend; I have to assume you still believe in the Easter Bunny. I'm in Canada btw (largest first world exporter of asbestos to third world shitholes).
>>1011463
Yeah you're gonna be sick soon, or worse.
>>1011736
My alcohol intake, wreck less driving and readiness to swing cutlasses like an orangutan while screaming at people who even slightly upset me all concern me significantly more.
>>1011742
>wreck less driving
>>1010913
I can definitely see how people in the past got spooked about those rainforest hardwoods. The oils in those fuckers are irritants and you can easily get nasty allergic reactions and rashes from the sawdust. Sometimes nature sprits (aka, biological defense mechanisms) do want to kill you.
>>1011518
>you won't be able to import that shit into first world countries.
Maybe you should go watch them do it if you're so sure it doesn't happen.
>>1010587
>Doesn't cause lung cancer, it causes asbestosis
Asbestos fibers do in fact cause DNA damage and cancer as well as asbestosis
![latest[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/g8318na.jpg "latest[1].jpg")
>>1010913
>going to release an ancient evil
>>1010835
yeah man, thats why smoking weed is good for you, because its natural! and so is tobacco1!
>>1011535
denial is a bitch isn't it?
>>1011874
As is childish ignorance.
>>1011007
Umm yes. Don't know what you googled but severe restrictions came in in 1985.
http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/uk/
>>1011894
Me again. The restrictions didn't mean that asbestos use disappeared overnight but there was a lot of work done on publicising the dangers. The UK government betrayed the public by denying compensation.
I moved to Australia in 2000 and we had similar issues here - google Wittenoom Asbestos.
I have some lovely WA Tigereye which is a local type of asbestos. Beautiful but I daren't polish it because of a the risk.
>>1011896
>WA Tigereye
Get a second opinion on the stone from someone who can look at it, lot of tigereye has the crocidolite replaced by quartz
>>1010457
>state police who write tickets on the interstate breath this dust all day long.
>>1011896
what the hell are you talking about, they are actively forcing people to remove asbestos from their roofs over here even though it could stay there without causing harm. this sisn't something like the speedlimit which people break on a daily basis. nobody is allowed to make/import/use this shit for a few decades now.
especially your brake/clutch story is completely bogus, if that was true car mechanics would still be using masks, the government would financially rape the garage owner due to the forced countermeasures (protection, waste disposal etc). I'm not sure how it is at your place but over here they are banning diesel cars from entering cities due to particulate matter, if there was any asbestos being released by cars politicians/hippies/etc would be cumming all over it
>>1010587
It causes both.
