1-
Is there one respirator that insulates do-it-yourself boatowners from
the risks of breathing all the various toxic substances they will
encounter from welding, fiberglass work, paints, solvents, lead, etc. ?

How can comfort be optimized while wearing it ?

2-
If one goes the remote filtered air route, what "mask" is on the market
that is safe, competitively priced, that connects to the air filtering
apparatus ?

It seems it might be more satisfactory in terms of air quality to go the
remote supply/filter route, but there's the hose and then, mask comfort.

Comment ?

Thanks to all for the benefit of your observations and experience,

Courtney

Hi Courtney,

You may consider buying a 3M mask. I bought a 6000 series mask
(re-usable)some three years ago, on which one may attach dust filters
(various particulate sizes), but also gas and vapour filters.
The re-usable mask (half face) costs about EUR 60 if I recall well; the
gas filters will probably cost some EUR 40 (inform at your local
supplier).
Although I wear spectacles, I do not find the mask annoying.
Hint: Although the gas filters (I believe they're filled with some
active carbon) are supposed to last for a ltd timespan only, you may
boost their life by storing them in a Tupperware-like box.
I hope it helps you,
kind regards,

Arjen Mulder.

I agree with this recommendation. Prior to retirement, I had work crews who
regularly used these 3M half face, reusable masks. Depending on the type of
dust they might encounter, they were issued appropriate filter elements. The
could even use these masks, with the right filter, for asbestos dust.
(however, in these situations, they were fully clothed in disposable
coveralls caps and boots.)

If your going to encounter anything like asbestos, it is best to turn the
job over to the Pros. Not that it is that difficult, but the is tremendous
scrutiny by local agencies and potential for citations/fines for violating
the rules. (cost me $4000 for removing floor tiles the contained microscopic
"non-friable" asbestos particles. We had taken all the appropriate
precautions but had failed to notify one of the local air quality control
agencies.)

Oh! I'm glad I'm retired but there are still plenty of opportunity for the
individual boat owner to get in trouble when DIY.


--
My experience and opinion, FWIW
--
Steve
s/v Good Intentions


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Courtney,

You may consider buying a 3M mask. I bought a 6000 series mask
(re-usable)some three years ago, on which one may attach dust filters
(various particulate sizes), but also gas and vapour filters.
The re-usable mask (half face) costs about EUR 60 if I recall well; the
gas filters will probably cost some EUR 40 (inform at your local
supplier).
Although I wear spectacles, I do not find the mask annoying.
Hint: Although the gas filters (I believe they're filled with some
active carbon) are supposed to last for a ltd timespan only, you may
boost their life by storing them in a Tupperware-like box.
I hope it helps you,
kind regards,

Arjen Mulder.

"Steve" wrote:

I agree with this recommendation. Prior to retirement, I had work crews who
regularly used these 3M half face, reusable masks. Depending on the type of
dust they might encounter, they were issued appropriate filter elements. The

For organic materials in a mist (like paint or styrene) where there
might also be dust, the best thing to use is an organic vapor filter
and a dust pre-filter. Otherwise the dust clogs up the organic filter
and it becomes worthless.

For dust, the mask itself will tell you when to change the filters, as
it will become hard to breathe.

could even use these masks, with the right filter, for asbestos dust.
(however, in these situations, they were fully clothed in disposable
coveralls caps and boots.)

Except for lead or silica (as in sand blasting with actual sand)
exposure, I'm not really too happy with people using respirators at
all.

I have sampled many painting operations, and almost never found an
overexposure to anything that would actually require a respirator
unless they were using isocyanates (like in auto body painting) which
are sensitizers and have an extremely low allowable limit, or when the
paint booth was not appropriately ventilated.

Even when they are spraying styrene, it's hard to get an overexposure
unless the person was working somewhere like inside a boat hull
without appropriate ventilation.

For welding or doing something with metallic lead (other than using a
soldering iron), you'd need a metal fume filter. This type filter can
also be clogged easily because metal fume is exceedingly small, so a
pre-filter can be used. This is the same concept as filtering stuff
out of your fuel with first larger pore size filters and then finer
filters.
If your going to encounter anything like asbestos, it is best to turn the
job over to the Pros. Not that it is that difficult, but the is tremendous
scrutiny by local agencies and potential for citations/fines for violating
the rules. (cost me $4000 for removing floor tiles the contained microscopic
"non-friable" asbestos particles. We had taken all the appropriate
precautions but had failed to notify one of the local air quality control
agencies.)

Except for the EPA items, if you are DIY, OSHA is one agency that will
not care if you expose yourself as long as you don't have any
employees.

After all, you can be over exposed to asbestos just because road work
is being done in areas where asbestos occurs naturally in the rocks.

We removed the asbestos shingles on a small house using only family
members, and did not have to comply with any regulations at all. They
even allowed us to take the old shingles to the dump. I would think
that floor tiles would pose less hazard, although of course the
agencies involved go with zero exposure.

Asbestos indoors, especially pipe insulation which easily becomes
friable is a different problem which is a greater hazard and requires
more in the way of protection IMHO.

Oh! I'm glad I'm retired but there are still plenty of opportunity for the
individual boat owner to get in trouble when DIY.

--
My experience and opinion, FWIW

My experience is as 14 years as an OSHA health inspector.

The regulations which are meant to ensure effective respirator use are
quite complicated and onerous, because the respirator absolutely has
to fit properly in order to protect the workers. Correct fitting of
a respirator requires using some kind of challenge environment and
checking to see that when the worker is bending, contorting the body,
sweating or talking that the face to facepiece seal is not broken.

So in general, I'd rather that people just not be in an atmosphere
which is hazardous rather than to think they are protecting themselves
by wearing respirators. There are SO many things that can go wrong
with selecting and wearing a respirator.

The bra cup type respirators (disposable) are very little more use
than the 'railroad respirator' (i.e. a scarf around your nose and
mouth).

I personally couldn't use a half face respirator because I wear
bifocals and the respirator pushed the bifocal part up into the middle
of my eye so I couldn't see anything in middle distance that was lower
than the top of my head. It would mean I'd have to go up or down
steps blind which would be a Bad Thing.

Other things that might keep a person from wearing a respirator which
would actually protect them a

Any kind of scarring under the area where the edge of the mask fits

Eye glasses for a full face respirator because the legs of the
eyeglasses will break the seal. (I had prescription inserts for my
full face respirator)

Any kind of facial hair under the sealing surface - that includes a
low hairline for a full face respirator, and any kind of beard for ANY
respirator

A large nose can also keep some respirators from sealing to the face.

If you want to use a half face respirator, you must always check for
fit each time you put it on by doing a positive and negative fit test.
For one test you cover the exhalation valve and breathe out. The
respirator should lift off your face. For the other test you cover
the total filter area (if your hands are not big enough you have to
use something like a plastic glove to put over the filter), and
inhale. If you can get any air, then the respirator does not fit.
This is a very hard test to do properly and it is tempting to ignore
that little hiss of air that you hear. But it means that air is
coming in that is NOT going through the filters.

Also respirators should be stored in a correctly (not left lying
around to get dust on the sealing surfaces) and should be cleaned
periodically.

The usage of a supplied air respirator is possible for bearded people
if they use the helmet type rather than the half face type. All of
the fit testing requirements are eliminated for the over the whole
head type of respirator - all you have to worry about is that the
compressor delivers enough air so that you don't over breathe it (pull
in air from the bottom). In that case you need an oiless compressor
that is running in a clean atmosphere. Bullard is one type that is
often used by painters. You can also get a device which will cool the
air delivered to the 'helmet'.


grandma Rosalie

Thank you for the fulsome reply :-)

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 ?

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 ?

Also where is a non-commercial central source of information about filters ?

Is there anyone besides 3M that is a source of reliable/safe filters ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Rosalie B. wrote:
"Steve" wrote:


I agree with this recommendation. Prior to retirement, I had work crews who
regularly used these 3M half face, reusable masks. Depending on the type of
dust they might encounter, they were issued appropriate filter elements. The


For organic materials in a mist (like paint or styrene) where there
might also be dust, the best thing to use is an organic vapor filter
and a dust pre-filter. Otherwise the dust clogs up the organic filter
and it becomes worthless.

For dust, the mask itself will tell you when to change the filters, as
it will become hard to breathe.


could even use these masks, with the right filter, for asbestos dust.
(however, in these situations, they were fully clothed in disposable
coveralls caps and boots.)


Except for lead or silica (as in sand blasting with actual sand)
exposure, I'm not really too happy with people using respirators at
all.

I have sampled many painting operations, and almost never found an
overexposure to anything that would actually require a respirator
unless they were using isocyanates (like in auto body painting) which
are sensitizers and have an extremely low allowable limit, or when the
paint booth was not appropriately ventilated.

Even when they are spraying styrene, it's hard to get an overexposure
unless the person was working somewhere like inside a boat hull
without appropriate ventilation.

For welding or doing something with metallic lead (other than using a
soldering iron), you'd need a metal fume filter. This type filter can
also be clogged easily because metal fume is exceedingly small, so a
pre-filter can be used. This is the same concept as filtering stuff
out of your fuel with first larger pore size filters and then finer
filters.

If your going to encounter anything like asbestos, it is best to turn the
job over to the Pros. Not that it is that difficult, but the is tremendous
scrutiny by local agencies and potential for citations/fines for violating
the rules. (cost me $4000 for removing floor tiles the contained microscopic
"non-friable" asbestos particles. We had taken all the appropriate
precautions but had failed to notify one of the local air quality control
agencies.)


Except for the EPA items, if you are DIY, OSHA is one agency that will
not care if you expose yourself as long as you don't have any
employees.

After all, you can be over exposed to asbestos just because road work
is being done in areas where asbestos occurs naturally in the rocks.

We removed the asbestos shingles on a small house using only family
members, and did not have to comply with any regulations at all. They
even allowed us to take the old shingles to the dump. I would think
that floor tiles would pose less hazard, although of course the
agencies involved go with zero exposure.

Asbestos indoors, especially pipe insulation which easily becomes
friable is a different problem which is a greater hazard and requires
more in the way of protection IMHO.

Oh! I'm glad I'm retired but there are still plenty of opportunity for the
individual boat owner to get in trouble when DIY.

--
My experience and opinion, FWIW


My experience is as 14 years as an OSHA health inspector.

The regulations which are meant to ensure effective respirator use are
quite complicated and onerous, because the respirator absolutely has
to fit properly in order to protect the workers. Correct fitting of
a respirator requires using some kind of challenge environment and
checking to see that when the worker is bending, contorting the body,
sweating or talking that the face to facepiece seal is not broken.

So in general, I'd rather that people just not be in an atmosphere
which is hazardous rather than to think they are protecting themselves
by wearing respirators. There are SO many things that can go wrong
with selecting and wearing a respirator.

The bra cup type respirators (disposable) are very little more use
than the 'railroad respirator' (i.e. a scarf around your nose and
mouth).

I personally couldn't use a half face respirator because I wear
bifocals and the respirator pushed the bifocal part up into the middle
of my eye so I couldn't see anything in middle distance that was lower
than the top of my head. It would mean I'd have to go up or down
steps blind which would be a Bad Thing.

Other things that might keep a person from wearing a respirator which
would actually protect them a

Any kind of scarring under the area where the edge of the mask fits

Eye glasses for a full face respirator because the legs of the
eyeglasses will break the seal. (I had prescription inserts for my
full face respirator)

Any kind of facial hair under the sealing surface - that includes a
low hairline for a full face respirator, and any kind of beard for ANY
respirator

A large nose can also keep some respirators from sealing to the face.

If you want to use a half face respirator, you must always check for
fit each time you put it on by doing a positive and negative fit test.
For one test you cover the exhalation valve and breathe out. The
respirator should lift off your face. For the other test you cover
the total filter area (if your hands are not big enough you have to
use something like a plastic glove to put over the filter), and
inhale. If you can get any air, then the respirator does not fit.
This is a very hard test to do properly and it is tempting to ignore
that little hiss of air that you hear. But it means that air is
coming in that is NOT going through the filters.

Also respirators should be stored in a correctly (not left lying
around to get dust on the sealing surfaces) and should be cleaned
periodically.

The usage of a supplied air respirator is possible for bearded people
if they use the helmet type rather than the half face type. All of
the fit testing requirements are eliminated for the over the whole
head type of respirator - all you have to worry about is that the
compressor delivers enough air so that you don't over breathe it (pull
in air from the bottom). In that case you need an oiless compressor
that is running in a clean atmosphere. Bullard is one type that is
often used by painters. You can also get a device which will cool the
air delivered to the 'helmet'.


grandma Rosalie

Courtney Thomas wrote:

Thank you for the fulsome reply :-)

I'm assuming this is a compliment (copious reply) and not using in the
original sense which would mean offensively flattering or insincere.
;-)

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 - 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. 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. 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. 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 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/
If you are really interested, they put out

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.

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Rosalie B. wrote:
"Steve" wrote:


I agree with this recommendation. Prior to retirement, I had work crews who
regularly used these 3M half face, reusable masks. Depending on the type of
dust they might encounter, they were issued appropriate filter elements. The


For organic materials in a mist (like paint or styrene) where there
might also be dust, the best thing to use is an organic vapor filter
and a dust pre-filter. Otherwise the dust clogs up the organic filter
and it becomes worthless.

For dust, the mask itself will tell you when to change the filters, as
it will become hard to breathe.


could even use these masks, with the right filter, for asbestos dust.
(however, in these situations, they were fully clothed in disposable
coveralls caps and boots.)


Except for lead or silica (as in sand blasting with actual sand)
exposure, I'm not really too happy with people using respirators at
all.

I have sampled many painting operations, and almost never found an
overexposure to anything that would actually require a respirator
unless they were using isocyanates (like in auto body painting) which
are sensitizers and have an extremely low allowable limit, or when the
paint booth was not appropriately ventilated.

Even when they are spraying styrene, it's hard to get an overexposure
unless the person was working somewhere like inside a boat hull
without appropriate ventilation.

For welding or doing something with metallic lead (other than using a
soldering iron), you'd need a metal fume filter. This type filter can
also be clogged easily because metal fume is exceedingly small, so a
pre-filter can be used. This is the same concept as filtering stuff
out of your fuel with first larger pore size filters and then finer
filters.

If your going to encounter anything like asbestos, it is best to turn the
job over to the Pros. Not that it is that difficult, but the is tremendous
scrutiny by local agencies and potential for citations/fines for violating
the rules. (cost me $4000 for removing floor tiles the contained microscopic
"non-friable" asbestos particles. We had taken all the appropriate
precautions but had failed to notify one of the local air quality control
agencies.)


Except for the EPA items, if you are DIY, OSHA is one agency that will
not care if you expose yourself as long as you don't have any
employees.

After all, you can be over exposed to asbestos just because road work
is being done in areas where asbestos occurs naturally in the rocks.

We removed the asbestos shingles on a small house using only family
members, and did not have to comply with any regulations at all. They
even allowed us to take the old shingles to the dump. I would think
that floor tiles would pose less hazard, although of course the
agencies involved go with zero exposure.

Asbestos indoors, especially pipe insulation which easily becomes
friable is a different problem which is a greater hazard and requires
more in the way of protection IMHO.

Oh! I'm glad I'm retired but there are still plenty of opportunity for the
individual boat owner to get in trouble when DIY.

--
My experience and opinion, FWIW


My experience is as 14 years as an OSHA health inspector.

The regulations which are meant to ensure effective respirator use are
quite complicated and onerous, because the respirator absolutely has
to fit properly in order to protect the workers. Correct fitting of
a respirator requires using some kind of challenge environment and
checking to see that when the worker is bending, contorting the body,
sweating or talking that the face to facepiece seal is not broken.

So in general, I'd rather that people just not be in an atmosphere
which is hazardous rather than to think they are protecting themselves
by wearing respirators. There are SO many things that can go wrong
with selecting and wearing a respirator.

The bra cup type respirators (disposable) are very little more use
than the 'railroad respirator' (i.e. a scarf around your nose and
mouth).

I personally couldn't use a half face respirator because I wear
bifocals and the respirator pushed the bifocal part up into the middle
of my eye so I couldn't see anything in middle distance that was lower
than the top of my head. It would mean I'd have to go up or down
steps blind which would be a Bad Thing.

Other things that might keep a person from wearing a respirator which
would actually protect them a

Any kind of scarring under the area where the edge of the mask fits

Eye glasses for a full face respirator because the legs of the
eyeglasses will break the seal. (I had prescription inserts for my
full face respirator)

Any kind of facial hair under the sealing surface - that includes a
low hairline for a full face respirator, and any kind of beard for ANY
respirator

A large nose can also keep some respirators from sealing to the face.

If you want to use a half face respirator, you must always check for
fit each time you put it on by doing a positive and negative fit test.
For one test you cover the exhalation valve and breathe out. The
respirator should lift off your face. For the other test you cover
the total filter area (if your hands are not big enough you have to
use something like a plastic glove to put over the filter), and
inhale. If you can get any air, then the respirator does not fit.
This is a very hard test to do properly and it is tempting to ignore
that little hiss of air that you hear. But it means that air is
coming in that is NOT going through the filters.

Also respirators should be stored in a correctly (not left lying
around to get dust on the sealing surfaces) and should be cleaned
periodically.

The usage of a supplied air respirator is possible for bearded people
if they use the helmet type rather than the half face type. All of
the fit testing requirements are eliminated for the over the whole
head type of respirator - all you have to worry about is that the
compressor delivers enough air so that you don't over breathe it (pull
in air from the bottom). In that case you need an oiless compressor
that is running in a clean atmosphere. Bullard is one type that is
often used by painters. You can also get a device which will cool the
air delivered to the 'helmet'.


grandma Rosalie

grandma Rosalie

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