When was the last time you changed your mask filters?

[jonhall]

I've just done mine, these were relatively clean compared to the previous lot, but I'm glad all that is on the filter, not in my lungs.

 

 

 

Jon

[davefrk]

I totally agree and promote the use of a respirator yet still there are people that say they just put a hanky around their mouth.....

 

Dave Franks

[faulcon1]

Changing your respirator filters frequently is VERY IMPORTANT. Here in Australia I go to an industrial supplier of face mask filters called Jay Pro. He has many different types of filters including filters and masks for lead based paints such as Railmatch.

In my employment my employer supplies P1 face masks which are basically the one surgeons use during operation.

Big hardware stores tend to stock generic face masks and filters so even if you think that you're protected you may only be partially protected. It's best to get the right filters for the paint your using.

For those who don't use any face masks I can only tell you of what happened to my sister in-laws first husband who used to spray paint N gauge models with neither an extraction system or face mask. He died of a brain haemorrhage and the post mortum found a large amount of lead in is body and that was due to the lead based Floquil paints he was spraying.

[N15class]

Changing your respirator filters frequently is VERY IMPORTANT. Here in Australia I go to an industrial supplier of face mask filters called Jay Pro. He has many different types of filters including filters and masks for lead based paints such as Railmatch.

In my employment my employer supplies P1 face masks which are basically the one surgeons use during operation.

Big hardware stores tend to stock generic face masks and filters so even if you think that you're protected you may only be partially protected. It's best to get the right filters for the paint your using.

For those who don't use any face masks I can only tell you of what happened to my sister in-laws first husband who used to spray paint N gauge models with neither an extraction system or face mask. He died of a brain haemorrhage and the post mortum found a large amount of lead in is body and that was due to the lead based Floquil paints he was spraying.

I think you will be hard pressed to find lead in any paint these days. It has not been used for years. As for paints for models they have been clear for years as it was band on toys for longer than other uses. Railmatch etc are enamels and contain solvents not lead.

[Rumblestripe]

Lead paint was banned in the EEC from 1992 (at least that was when the regulation was passed in the UK) the principle uses were in paint pigment, indeed arguably we still lack a good/effective replacement for "Chrome Yellow" (pigment is Lead Chromate) other colours in which Lead Chromate was present were some reds and greens and the classic white used in oil painting "Flake White" was Lead based, in this case Lead Carbonate or Lead Sulphate this was replaced in the 1960s. Nasty stuff but you are unlikely to come across it other than when stripping paint from an old house or perhaps a car.

 

Scarily the well known yellow school buses in the USA were painted using the distinctive "Chrome Yellow" pigment as standard and back in the 1800s the pigment was even used in candy for Victorian children!!!