I'm assuming this is a compliment (copious reply) and not using in the
original sense which would mean offensively flattering or insincere.
;-)
Your assumption is most assuredly correct :-)
I have the opportunity to buy an Allegro Industries remote filtering
multi-user device that is to be connected to a remote air supply. They
supposedly meet OSHA standards for some applications but I don't know
which, maybe all.... Do you have any knowledge of their equipment and
opinion ?
No I have not heard of Allegro, but I've been retired for 5 years now.
The thing to ask for is the NIOSH certification
I meant NIOSH, pardon my ignorance.
- OSHA doesn't certify
anything, so saying it meets OSHA standards is a pretty empty promise.
The NIOSH certification will tell you what it is approved for.
I did a google search on NIOSH and Allegro and found this
! 2. There are several models of NIOSH approved supplied-air
respirator systems that have been mis-represented as being approved
with belt-worn filters as the source of Grade D air and/or pneumatic
tool lines connected to the belt-worn filters and supplied from the
respirable air stream.
The Allegro unit is a 9875 Portable 5 Worker system [10ppm US/5ppm
Canada] and is suitcase sized, connects by hose to an air supply and
from which 5 workers each have a hose, has a digital readout for the ppm
figure and filtration built in the "suitcase" unit. This unit is pretty
expensive new and I'm quite confident no one that is literate would
think it to be used for air tools.
These respirator models include the SAS Safety
Corporation EZ-Air 2000 system which consists of NIOSH approved
Survivair supplied-air respirators (TC-19C-269 and TC-19C-292)
connected to an unapproved belt-mounted filter system, and both the
NIOSH-approved SATA models (TC-19C-210 and TC-19C-211) and Allegro
(TC-19C-305) incorrectly advertised to indicate the connection of
pneumatic tools to the belt-mounted filter system.
!
!These manufacturers have been contacted and have agreed to correct
instances of misleading advertising, but in the event that other
unknown systems are being marketed, or outdated advertising materials
are still in circulation, the Institute advises users that any
supplied-air respirator in the configuration described above is NOT
NIOSH approved and should not be used in situations that require the
use of a NIOSH-approved supplied-air respirator.
It sounds to me as if this doesn't mean that the Allegro is not
approved, just that you have to use it as prescribed and not connect
pneumatic tools to the air filtration system.
The thing that befuddles me is...how do you weld with an external air
supply, ideally with a hood I guess, and a welding mask ? Or does
someone make a welding hood with allowance for connecting a remote air
supply, or, a respiration hood with capability of installing welding
filters ?
I'm not sure that you can weld with a hood type respirator because I'm
not sure that the hood is spark resistant.
What exactly I'm trying to understand, since I've no experience with
this sort of thing and don't want to injure my health, is....
how, optimally, to use a remote filtered device, such as the Allegro, as
a personal air supply AND weld with a mask since goggles, as I
understand, perhaps incorrectly, won't do except for oxy/acetylene,
hence a remote line must be included.
But if I could find goggles that have safe filters for stick, MIG and
TIG welding, then I could get only a sort of half-mask that would cover
the nose/mouth and with positive pressure should be fine, I would guess.
I'd prefer that to anything under consideration since goggles instead of
a hood and a hose firmly attached in back leading, say under the arm to
the 1/2 face mask....would seem to be the minimal setup to get it all done.
Rather than trying to wear an air tight welder's hood/mask, if there is
such, with a connecting air hose; I was wondering what, if any,
alternatives there are ? Surely some manufacturer(s) have addressed
this problem.
I guess if the air supply is of sufficient positive pressure, then the
welder's mask would not have to be air tight at all. Would that remove
the necessity of a respirator, i.e. would NIOSH approve it ?
I would prefer the positive pressured mask fed by [NIOSH certified]
filtered air to a filtering respirator, especially since I must wear a
mask anyway to weld.
I realize that if money is no consideration, then there are probably
many options, but I'm not in business with this and am only pursuing all
flexibility and safety for personal use only and at the most
competitive price I can find :-)
Your experience and advice are a comforting guide in this elusive
matter, for which I profusely thank you.
You do NOT want to wear
even flame retardant tyvek where there are sparks. The stuff melts
onto your skin. I've seen it do that, and it is NOT pretty.
What should I wear ?
There
are what are called 'low profile' respirators that will fit under the
welding helmet.
I found the Speedglas® FlexView with Adflo® combines retractable
auto-darkening lens
I wonder if this mask and hopefully others permit connecting the
filtered remote supply line, as opposed to some filters ?
with powered air purifying respirator on the
internet, but I have no experience with this myself.
Also where is a non-commercial central source of information about filters ?
NIOSH is the main source for information about respirators.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/
Thank you, I bookmarked this URL. Is NIOSH part of OSHA or does this
site not relate to NIOSH ?
If you are really interested, they put out
You didn't finish your sentence here, apparently, and I'm all ears if
you'll please continue....
Is there anyone besides 3M that is a source of reliable/safe filters ?
There are lots of makers of respirators. You should only use the
brand of filter with the respirator of the same brand. You shouldn't
for instance put 3M filters into a Survivaire mask. In additon to 3M
there is North, MSA, Wilson, Survivaire.Draeger. But it does seem
like 3M has the corner on the market at least as far as the internet
goes.
I would use the Allegro filters if I buy this unit, per your recommendation.
Gratefully,
Courtney