Isocyanate Eye Protection

O

Outlaw

I personally feel a fresh air breathing system is one of the better choices painters can use while painting products that contain isocyanates. The face masks that cover only mouth and nose have several concerns. First, the seal is affected by facial hair. Second, the filters have an expiration date, and if they are not changed out once the cartridges have been removed from the sealed package they come in, the quality of the filtering could expose the user to isocynates. Third, the face masks with cartridges do nothing to protect the eyes.


For those who use the face masks instead of fresh air supply, what do you use for eye protection? Im considering a face mask for doing small jobs but I want to figure out a way to protect my eyes from being exposed to the Isocyanates.


I also wonder about the risk of exposing the skin on your face to Isocynates when using a face mask.
 
I have a 3M full face mask that I have been using for epoxy. I'm going to invest in a fresh air system before I start spraying clear with ISO.
 
how long do the cartridges last once you break the seal? You will love the fresh air system. There is no smell of paint and the posetive air pressure keeps the lens free of fog. I got the one that has changeable lens protectors that just "peel and replace" when they get dirty. I also like the soft hood that has the air supply in the back of the hood verses the front of the hood. It goes down your back and hooks to a belt loop to keep the air hose out of the way.
 
All skin as well as eyes should be covered when spraying..
Also with the cartridges, they should be put back in the bag and burped as well as sealed when not using.
As I understand it one night left out on bench will kill the cartridges.

What you smell is the solvents, as Iso's have no smell.
 
Something to know about activated charcoal, it will absorb a lot of different things, from solvents to water vapor. The cartridges get measurably heavier as they approach the limit of what they can absorb. That's partly why you want to seal them up, because they will absorb water out of the air and that is a waste of the cartridge's capacity. I don't know about one night ruining one, but in a humid climate there sure could be a lot of moisture picked up overnight, so maybe so.
 
I read an OSHA test on charcoal cartridges a few years ago and it seems if cared for properly they are good for 8 hours of exposure to Isocyanates.
I found the paragraph:
This method is from chapter 36 of the AIHA publication "The Occupations Environment — Its Evaluation and Control". The rule of thumb is:
  • If the concentration of the chemical is less than 200 ppm and the chemical's boiling point is greater than 70°C, you can expect a service life of eight hours at a normal work rate
  • Service life is inversely proportional to work rate
  • Reducing concentrations by a factor of 10 will increase the service life by a factor of five
  • Humidity above 85 percent will reduce service life by 50 percent
Click to expand...
Of course this is based on being used in a spray booth with adequate air flow and the respirator stored properly when not in use,
 
Sounds to me like I better stick with my fresh air supply. I dont have the patience to set a stop watch every time I pull the trigger and there are way too many variables on "adequate air flow". I suspect it would be pretty easy to convince ones self......" I can get one more spray out of these filters before I replace them". I would have never guessed a maximum of 8 hours exposure. And Barry says you cant smell the Isocyanates, so how would you have any idea you have exceeded the 8 hours unless you timed every trigger pull in adequate air flow.
 
Like everyone says here, whole lot of if's!

I use one through the primering process on a restroration and then I buy a new one for base and clear, I have always figured and keep notes on bag of open time hours and figure four hours is safe.
At plant in mixing area we replace every day. 4-6 hours of use.
 
I've found the 3m disposables or full face masks will leave a funky taste in my mouth when they are done. I replace once a month on average. I don't paint everyday (booth hasn't been on in a week) and during heavy primer stages I replace more often. If I'm doing an overall with sealer, base, and 4 coats clear I pitch it when I'm done.

I wear the painting gogles with tear offs when I'm not wearing the full face. I hate it also. Nothing like seeing totally clear without reflections.
 
I got the hobby air with the buddy system and the soft tyvek hood. Very comfortable and no fogging up. I think once a year they have free shipping. There are two options for this pump, one that will handle one mask and one that will handle two masks. The single mask model comes with 40 feet of hose, the double mask version (buddy system), comes with two 40 foot hoses. It takes some getting used to dragging a garden hose around with your air gun hose, but its not bad.

They tyvek hood is a soft material with a nice veiwing window. You can get replaceable shields that peel off the lens to be changed out when they get cloudy or painted. The air supply comes out the back, opposed to the front on the more pro looking full face masks. I dont l ike the idea of the air supply hose coming off the front of my face. The tyek hood is $89 and the full face mask is well over a hundred if I remember correctly. Im really glad I went with the Tyvek. It has a regulator close to the hood that lets you adjust the inline pressure. You can actually make it balloon up your face mask and feel the fresh air surrounding your face. There is enough posetive air pressure, I dont see how anything could possibly get in when so much is going out.

I made my own fitting thru the shop wall so I can put the compressor in clean fresh air and supply me with that air inside the booth. I like the idea of not having to suit up like a space man to spray a little job, but from what Im reading here..........once you invest in the fresh air system, you get the cost back every time you buy a new set of filters.

For me, it was the best bang for the buck.
 
mitch_04;n72472 said:
Any recommendations for fresh air setups? I really need this to be a future investment.
Click to expand...
I bought the Turbine :products Breathe-Cool system. Their cheapest system is $340 and includes the air supply, 25-foot hose and half face mask. For $20 more it comes with a Tyvek hood like Outlaw described.
Breathecool%20II%20with%20Facepiece_zpsltfkckir.jpg

http://www.turbineproducts.com/breathecool-ii-supplied-air-respirator-system-w-tyvek-facepiece/

I chose the Breathe-Cool system over the Hobbyair because they offered more options at significantly lower prices. I ordered mine with a half mask and 50-foot hose and recently added a full face mask for $115. They even have a self-darkening welding mask for $150 (if I was welding galvanized steel).
 
Never heard of Breathe-Cool, but at that price it would have definitely been on my radar when I purchased mine.
 
I have the same Hobby Air system as Outlaw decribed. When the weather is cool outside, there is nothing quite like breathing cool, fresh mountain air when spraying paint. I am pretty sure those Tyvek hoods can be gotten for less than $89. I haven't worn out the one that came with my unit yet, but it looks like you can get 10 of them for $35 here: https://www.safetysolutions.com/reta...ARD-TYVEK-HOOD

This is less the head gear to support the hood.
 
Strum, can you check and see if that link is correct? I can not get it go anywhere for me. $89 for the Tyvek Hood is not only the head gear, but the air supply hose between the hood and where it connects to your air supply on the belt. I think just the hood is around $35, but the price you found is 10/$35. Thats pretty hard to beat. I would like to check that out myself. Man your right about that cool air. Its pretty awesome and I have never so much as smelled paint fumes when Im using it.
 
I have the breathe cool unit for blasting and a half mask for dust work. I did pitch the blast hood and use the power unit with a commercial hood because I was replacing them twice a year due to quality. Better than Harbor freight but not by much.
It's just a squirrel cage fan blowing into a hose so it's simple. Variable speed so you can adjust output. I've had it for 5 years and the only complain is my 7.5hp or 10hp compressor will stop the motor unless the variable speed is way up. The surge stops it. Kinda sucks when your blasting. In the summer when it's cranked up it feels nice but no so much in the winter.

Bob, I've been thinking about making a heated version of that ice bucket for winter. I set the power unit in the paint booth and run the hose outside to blast. Even shop air is turned cold by the fan in the winter.

I should wear the half mask painting but I was tripping over the hose all the time when I tried it.
 
I just came across that cooler somewhere in my search for sealed goggles to protect eyes from ISO's.
 
Brad, Is it possible to run your motor somewhere outside the paint room on another circuit? Also, can you install a valve inline between your belt and airsupply to the hood that will allow you to control the air flow? My pump runs at full speed, but I can reduce or increase the air supply with a simple little valve in the supply line where it is always close to me when I have it on. The garden hose air supply (size comparrison only) is a pain to drag around, but I tape the breathing air supply line and the HVLP supply together about every four feet so they are together. The fresh air supply ends at my belt loop where it is connected to the face mask supply line and up my back to the rear of the hood. That leaves the HVLP line by itself and independent from the fresh air supply line. Still a pain? For sure, but pros outweigh the cons.
 
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