Sawdust, etc., and lung/throat ailments

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Sunrise Guy

Sunrise Guy

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I have started wearing a respirator recently when I'm cutting and am now wondering how many of y'all have experienced problems with your breathing and sore throats/coughs. When we're cutting aloft, or even on the ground, we are inhaling tons of sawdust, dry squirrel crap, bird crap, fungal spores, bacteria and other bad stuff. I started waking up coughing and having pains in my chest from dry hacking. My throat was also dry a good deal of the time. Three days after starting with the respirator, all of my symptoms are gone. When it's ninety-five degrees down here, it is a bit warm under the mask, but knowing that I'm protecting myself makes it feel not too bad, at all. I don't smoke, fwiw.
 
Sunrise Guy said:
I have started wearing a respirator recently when I'm cutting and am now wondering how many of y'all have experienced problems with your breathing and sore throats/coughs. When we're cutting aloft, or even on the ground, we are inhaling tons of sawdust, dry squirrel crap, bird crap, fungal spores, bacteria and other bad stuff. I started waking up coughing and having pains in my chest from dry hacking. My throat was also dry a good deal of the time. Three days after starting with the respirator, all of my symptoms are gone. When it's ninety-five degrees down here, it is a bit warm under the mask, but knowing that I'm protecting myself makes it feel not too bad, at all. I don't smoke, fwiw.
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I dont really have any of those problems, but today it seemed like everytime i cut anything something went in my eye, then i had to go wash it out. From now on i will take safty glasses with me.
 
I started wearing a respirator years ago, for the very reasons you mentioned. It had an immediated effect in helping my sore throat and sinus irritation...
 
Not to get off subject But along with wearing a respirator its getting warm out dont forget the bug spray if your in the woods. I've ben having lung pain for the last month and the last week in bed:cry: Found out yesterday that I have Lyme disease:dizzy: This kicks the sh:censored: out of you. Be safe out there.
 
JimL said:
Only time I would wear one would be on sycamore trees...
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Second that idea. You have to where them with sycamore and london plains. I thought I was gonna die or start coughing up blood last year the dust from the leaves were so bad. Saw dust and chipper dust just bothers my eyes sometimes never my throat though.
 
I chose to wear one on a chipping operation where we ended up feeding a lot of dry wood. The locust were the worst. I was even getting enough fine dust in my eyes to make me wear gogles.

Mind you, this was in 90 degree plus heat. It sucked, besides the hernia I got competeing on who could feed the most wood into the chipper.
 
Climb020 said:
Second that idea. You have to where them with sycamore and london plains. I thought I was gonna die or start coughing up blood last year the dust from the leaves were so bad. Saw dust and chipper dust just bothers my eyes sometimes never my throat though.
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Me too, I never had a reaction to Sycamore before but last summer I was pruning and could not catch my breath from the dust. It was a scary feeling, I will use a mask next time.
 
i used to get those problems you mentioned. also used to get dirt in my lung while stumpgrinding. want the best solution? hire someone to do the work for you and you'll be feeling better in no time.
 
Originally Posted by treeminator
want the best solution? hire someone to do the work for you and you'll be feeling better in no time.
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do you have any feelings for your employees or coworkers. to hire someone else is not the answer!
 
smokerjumper68 said:
do you have any feelings for your employees or coworkers. to hire someone else is not the answer!
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i give them one of those medical masks but they never wear them. it's not my problem at that point. ....lead a horse to water, etc.
 
treeminator said:
i used to get those problems you mentioned. also used to get dirt in my lung while stumpgrinding. want the best solution? hire someone to do the work for you and you'll be feeling better in no time.
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Why let them have all the fun? Besides I bill out an median of $40/hr to climb for other companies.
 
Dust

Sawdust from sycamores and a few other trees under a microscope looks like fiberglass so protect yourselves.

I have problems cutting certain holly trees also.
 
i have had chest infections from the dust from stump grinding and sharpening tunsten carbide on a green wheel...its real debilitating....
lets move the conversation on by suggesting which face mask/respirator is the best to used for the strenious jobs we do..if fine that the paper ones just fog glasses, there must be a good mask out there that allows you to work hard and not get in the way!
 
Teeth sharpening with a green wheel is a serious 'mofo' even though I do it myself,troubles is there's no way i'm paying £1 a tooth for them to be ground for me.

I think I will invest in a dust extraction system though,at the moment I just pick a nice day and grind my teeth outside in the open..
 
i have a generator and tend to drind them on the job so to speak. you can get battery powered air fitration masks but i reckon the plastic screens will get scratched really easy...and they cost 100£££'s
 
chinky or not it does the job......and doesn't cost to much to replace when it gets nicked out of the truck. what respirator do you use Rolla...any good?
 

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