Respirator Scott Full Face

[Blackhawk357]

I have a Scott brand full face respirator and I am not sure which cartridge to use for protection during smelting. Yellow, green, purple colored cartridge or it maybe one I do not have. I have cast and smelted many times without one. I like the option of using one in the event I feel it is necessary. What is your thoughts experience with a Scott Respirator?

[bradley.moss72]

I am not up on Scott respirators but I do know that each of those colors only filter certain things. It should be written on the lable. First and foremost you need to identify what it is that you are trying to filter out, be it particulate, vapor or gas in nature. Vapors and gases are a different story. Let's say you put a cartridge on designed for a certain type of vapor, it would do no good against a different type of vapor. They do make combination canisters. The bad thing about smelting is you don't really know what you have in the pot sometimes, in the case of wheel weights, but I would think it would mostly be particles/smoke, and possibly some type of vapor.

When I worked for a frozen food company, we had one type of canister designed for anhydrous ammonia, because that is the refrigerant we used throughout the plant.

I would suggest calling Scott or going to their website.

I did a quick search and found this:

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/738488O/filters-for-reusable-respirators-selector.pdf

Another option might be to befriend a firefighter and maybe he can give you some guidance.

BW

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[NY_Treeguy]

The CDC recommends any P100, N100 or R100 cartridge. Purple usually indicates P100.

CDC Page on Lead (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0368.html)

[Ickisrulz]

If I were melting down WWs and they were covered with whatever, I'd select a combination filter for particulates/organic vapors to cover everything likely or remotely possible. This filter is Purple and Black. I would anticipate the exposure to be primarily smoke, but you never know. The particulate filter is good for lead fumes and smoke (not carbon monoxide), but unless you are really heating your stuff up, there will be no lead vapors. The organic filter is good for organic solvents found in some cleaner and paints.

Respirators must fit properly in order to do their work. Beards will interfere with the fit. Most people take medium masks, but fit-testing is required to know for sure they fit right. I ran the Respiratory Protection Program on several Air Force Bases. Scott is as good as any other brand.

The best practice, of course, is to remove contaminates from the breathing zone. Do your lead cleaning outside and stay upwind.

[Blackhawk357]

Thank you men that is great information. It does state on the CDC page you sent me P100 which is Scott's cartridge number. I am good to go for future lead melting sessions.

[silverjay]

I went through the same question last year and went with the P100 as well.

[guywitha3006]

At work we use p100s for anything metal fume related. The only time they use organic vaper cartridges is for solvent use in closet spaces. Unless you are melting some really nasty stuff and standing downwind the organic vapor/combo cartridges overkill. Not only that but they are usually only rated for a few hours of use before the chemical neutralizes are exhausted. Sorry for the worst response, I deal with respirators regularly as I am a safety guy by "trade".