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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Queensland
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    Default is the sand from a sand blaster carcinogenic???

    i have to clean out a sand blasting room is the sand from the blaster carcinogenic??? what sort of things should i look for when buying a dust mask??? what is the best way to store them?


    straight to the point tonight.....ok maybe ill have a rant ......we have an old shipping container at work converted to a sand blasting room very handy to have but it is not used much and the last time it was used it broke i didn't know what was wrong but i got stuck with shoveling new sand into the "hopper" crap job that was anyway last week the boss wanted to use it and found out the cyclone extractor was full and guess who he got to shovel the dust up anyway it wasn't just full it was over flowing and it took about 5 barrow loads to get it out of the extractor all this was done 30minutes before knock off and you guessed it we had no dust masks in the shop bugger

    now today i was feeling a little sick and i had to paint some stuff, took most of the day but it wasn't all that heavy and again i had no mask but tonight i feel like crap so i dont think the fumes were best right i said i think i should get a mask........ back to the sand blaster apparently it is a mess and the boss wants you know who to clean it out next week soooo i tomorrow ill get the boss to order me a proper mask one i can keep for these odd occasions i deal with these nasty fumes and dust
    happy turning

    Patrick

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default

    You would need to consult the materials data sheet for the stuff you use in the blaster to be sure. And of course take into account the coatings that are being removed and the parent metal and its oxides as well. There are likely to be a lot of different things in the "sand" on the floor, and even more in the cyclone bin.

    With regard to masks, in one instance you need fine dust protection, with the painting situation it's solvents and fumes that you need to be protected from.

    About 35 years ago I had about 6 months sandblasting trucks prior to repainting. Standard costume was a couple of balls of cotton wool in each ear for hearing protection, two pairs of overalls, steel caps, a cotton balaclava and an old WW2 gas mask with an air supply off the blaster compressor via a regulator. Typically got about 10 pound of sand out of the costume after a 3 hour blasting session, and coughed, sneezed and snotted mud. To date, 35 years later, I have not suffered any respitory complications, but do have hearing issues that I would not blame solely on this job (noisy cars, high speed touring with windows down, and high powered PA systems as well).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Nth Qld
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    Default

    Silica sand when it's shattered by blasting impact can result in silicosis if enough is inhaled, if it's just normal naturally occurring grains then it's considered fairly inert. Garnet can also have low level radioactivity depending on where it came from, not all of it is radioactive. There have been cases of overzealous authorities trying to shut down blasting operations due to radioactivity.......until an expert pointed out a popular tourist beach with some mineral sands content was far more radioactive.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Yes. In the same way that walking on a beach on a windy day is carcinogenic.

    However, the dust and stuff dislodged by the blasting sand may be less than friendly, and this is where you could get very fine particulate nasties - lead (from paint), cadmium (from chrome), zinc (from galvanising) and so on.

    The mask should fit your face well (the silicone ones are really nice) and have an appropriately rated particulate filter (for dust) and charcoal filter (for odour). They should be stored in an airtight box when not in use to preserve the filter medium. It's time to replace the filter when it is either hard to breath through (for particulates), or you can smell the paint solvent.

    The local industrial safety store will be able to point you in the right direction.

    If you are feeling sick after using paint - what sort of paint is it? (Check the MSDS and if it is a 2-pac isocyanate - stop using it until you get proper protection, and see a doctor.)

    Note that you should only be spraying 2-pac with a supplied air respirator unless the MSDS says otherwise. If you are spraying any other paint, and you should be using a proper filtered respirator so that you are not breathing in paint solvents.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Otautahi , Te Wa'hi Pounamu ( The Mainland) , NZ
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    Default

    Use the same helmet that you use when blasting .
    Thats' what we used to do .

  6. #6
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    Nov 2006
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    Bendigo Victoria
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    As far as I know sand blasting has been banned for years, abrasive blasting using other, safer, materials hasn't

    The reason it has been banned is because of the risk of silicosis, not cancer.

    Your abrasive blasting setup at work sounds like it probably breaks every health and safety regulation there is, as does the personal protection gear that you are (not) supplied with.

    It doesn't pay to take risks with your life, I would first get some information about your situation from DLI (Dept of Labour and Industry) or its' equivalent.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    near Rockhampton
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    6,216

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    As far as I know sand blasting has been banned for years, abrasive blasting using other, safer, materials hasn't
    Garnet does look like sand (pink colour) so it could be mistaken for sand...

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    As far as I know sand blasting has been banned for years, abrasive blasting using other, safer, materials hasn't

    The reason it has been banned is because of the risk of silicosis, not cancer.

    Your abrasive blasting setup at work sounds like it probably breaks every health and safety regulation there is, as does the personal protection gear that you are (not) supplied with.

    It doesn't pay to take risks with your life, I would first get some information about your situation from DLI (Dept of Labour and Industry) or its' equivalent.


    Garnet won't cause silicosis if that is what you're using but you need to protect against nuisance dust and all the impurities in the dust. Dust from glass beads won't give you silicosis either since it's amorphous silica not crystalline.
    Cheers
    Michael

  9. #9
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    Before you do anything get hold of the MSDS for the sand being used in the blaster. If your boss cannot supply you with one he/she is breaking the law. Certain types of sand with higher silica content is not supposed to be used in sand blasters but these days people are still very casual about it.

    Then follow the instructions on the MSDS.

    Practically speaking that amount of exposure is unlikely to cause a problem and it certainly shouldn't make you feel sick the next day. It's prolonged exposure to sand containing too much Silica that causes Silicosis - or miners lung.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Queensland
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    Default

    thanks for the advice everyone as far as i know the medium is Garnet and i don't do the sand blasting but all the boilermakers who do have there own respirators and i am more worried about the coolant we use daily the paint is another issue im not sure what paint i was spraying with i did have the paint booth doors wide open to (its so big you could drive a truck right in) and in the end i was spraying the long parts outside ill ask tomorrow what the paint is and get my boss to order some more respirators

    oh i was feeling sick before work my girlfriend had been sick this weekend ill chuck a sickie if i feel worse tomorrow

    oh and another thing what is the best way to dispose of the old used medium???
    happy turning

    Patrick

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Mandurah WA
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    Hey Patrick,

    I would be Telling your Boss that you have to have some PPE gear of your own, at a very minimum you meed a proper respirator, the fellows doing the blasting are using a Helmut with Air feed and all the gear, when painting a minimum of P2 mask, if you are doing a lot of painting, I would be demanding an air feed setup, it's a duty of care issue, not a penny pinching issue, Shoveling up the residue of a sand blasting operation is a big health issue as stated above, the medium is not the issue, it's what you are blasting off that is the unknown

    HazzaB
    It's Hard to Kick Goals, When the Ba^$%##ds Keep moving the Goal Posts.


    Check out my Website www.harrybutlerdesigns.com.au

  12. #12
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by new_guy90 View Post
    oh and another thing what is the best way to dispose of the old used medium???
    Pat ,
    unless you are an independent contractor in to do the job , the disposal is the bosses problem . Don't let them foist it onto you mate ,

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Queensland
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    Default

    i didnt have much to do today so i cleaned out the sand blaster i think it had gotten clogged so they just kept adding sand all the extraction pipes were full and it took a lot of digging to get it right. i found a new respirator before i started and im glad i did i had no problem with the dust at all today

    thanks everyone for your help im going to add a respirator to my tool box they are great
    happy turning

    Patrick

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