Safety Equipment

[YEMX2098]

I'm a beginner at refining and of course I've made a few mistakes my first time. Actually in still in the process of trying to locate my gold in the process. But I'll cover that in another tread. My most important concern at this time is trying to figure out how much expose I received from HCL vapors. While I was filtering my solution after I let the SMB do it's job overnight, for some reason got a big chlorine( which I assume is the HCL) like smell in my mask. It went away but I stopped after a few more minutes because I started feeling light headed. I went for a walk in fresh air but felt a little drunk. The symptoms confirmed that I got exposed to toxic vapors obviously. It's been hours and I can't get that smell and taste of chlorine out my senses...
So here is my question. How the heck was I able to inhale the fumes when I was wearing my mask? Second question. To make sure I didn't screw up and get the wrong type of canister for my mask, what is the proper filter / canister needed for working with HCL, NA, Aqua Regia and the other chemicals associated with gold refining? At the moment I'm not using Nitric Acid but instead using a substitute from a company called JSP. Sorry about the typos and spelling but I have a headache and have a cute nausea while writing this.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

First, go to a hospital and get yourself checked out.

A mask should never be your first line of defense against toxic fumes. They are a last resort in case there is an accident.

As you have learned the hard way, masks are not perfect. They have a limited capacity, regardless of the type. Once they've filtered to their maximum capacity, the fumes will get by. A fume hood is needed for this type of work.

I hope you recover from this exposure.

Dave

 

[Shark]

Listen to Dave. Go get checked out.

Are you sure you didn't get hit with the SO2 smell from the SMB? That stuff lingers forever it seems like.

 

[goldshark]

An activated carbon filter, coupled with an N100 particulate filter would be my third choice of defense. First would be a vent with scrubber. Second would be a positive pressure Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, much like a SCUBA system. But since you are not under water doing reactions, it is SCBA. Another option, but frowned up, is down wind, out side. I hope it is not permanent scarring. Get checked out. No amount of Au is worth dying for, or permanent disablement.

 

[YEMX2098]

First, go to a hospital and get yourself checked out.

A mask should never be your first line of defense against toxic fumes. They are a last resort in case there is an accident.

As you have learned the hard way, masks are not perfect. They have a limited capacity, regardless of the type. Once they've filtered to their maximum capacity, the fumes will get by. A fume hood is needed for this type of work.

I hope you recover from this exposure.

Dave

I appreciate the advice. Lesson learned the hard way. I went to get a checkup with one of my friends who works at the local hospital emergency room as a RN and he gave me a clean bill of health. So one beginner to the seasoned refiners out there. Please give me some advice on safety hat I might have overlooked.
I'm currently refining outside in non windy conditions. If I get wind, it's only at no more than 5mph wind and I work upwind from the work area.
I switched from a half mask to a full mask with cartridges/filters for organic vapors. Heavy duty latex gloves with rubber gloves as outer protection. Rubber apron or I use sometimes my welding apron. I wash my hands a few times after I finish up and disguard my inter latex gloves. I only work 39 minutes at a time and switch out filters after every two work sessions but now I noticed that I am still getting some vapor exposure. My best guess is my beard is not allowing a proper seal and vapors are getting into my mask.

 

[YEMX2098]

Listen to Dave. Go get checked out.

Are you sure you didn't get hit with the SO2 smell from the SMB? That stuff lingers forever it seems like.

I'm not sure but now that you mention it. I think it was. It had to be because I was in that part of my refining when I got a good dose of it. It's hard for me to tell due to me being a smoker for 25 years and being exposed to so many chemicals in a diesel and auto shop work environment that my sense of smell and taste are not the best. Your talking to a guy that used to wash parts without gloves or any protection in NAPHTA. Worked on 18 wheeler brakes inhaling asbestos, exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Kuwait. Also have exposure to depleted uranium from exploded armor piercing tank rounds. Not to mention heavy amounts of carbon monoxide inhalation from diesel exhaust. I even used to work around contaminated fracking waste water from oil rigs in south Texas. Yeah I haven't had the healthiest lifestyle or occupations. These days I try to be more safe after my father past away from lung, stomach and throat cancer and he had COPD. I left the mechanic trade after that. The doctor blamed his illness on the trade he was in which I had followed in his footsteps.

 

[Daniel0007a]

Sulfur dioxide is quite nasty when SMB reacts with acids i got a lung full of it and was coughing for weeks. Even with a gas mask on. I recommend setting up a fume hood environment or a gas mask with fans and venting the toxic gases. This implies NO2 gas, SO2 gas, and HCl fumes. Your health is more important than any possible injury.

Thanks for sharing tho.

 

[Shark]

I had been smoking for 47 years when I quit. Even before quitting the smell of SMB gagged me, and I can smell and taste it for days afterwards. My wife is allergic to it as well. We often see discussions on safety around many other chemicals but very little on avoiding SMB fumes. If your working outside, work in a cross wind. Being upwind, if a breeze does come up, it will often cause a swirl effect and bring the odors back in your face. Even a cheap home built fume hood that simply raise's the fumes over your head will help.

 

[Daniel0007a]

Thanks yes I messed with H2S, Chlorine in very well-ventilated Areas. H2S is the most dangerous if you are in closed areas but I did lots of Pigment salts K2Sb4S7*2H20 salt. An Antimony salt it not nice handling H2S either.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Thanks yes I messed with H2S, Chlorine in very well-ventilated Areas. H2S is the most dangerous if you are in closed areas but I did lots of Pigment salts K2Sb4S7*2H20 salt. An Antimony salt it not nice handling H2S either.

H2S are safe(ish) as long as you can smell it.
The problem is that if the smell goes away, you don’t know if it is gone or its just passed the smelling threshold.

 

[Alexander_Hun]

Hi! I use this combo, I never smell anything in it, even though my sense of smell is very good. Sometimes you need to temporarily in a closed room, it completely filters out everything!

 

[goldshark]

Remember that to get the most out of those filters, you have to remove from the mask, and store in an airtight container.

 

[Martijn]

Most cartridges only work for x hours after opening.
Masks are meant for cleanup of spills.
Short time use, always trash it immediately after use.

Do not store for another day in an airtight bag!! How many times? Which day? Next week? Next month? Forgot to update the 'last use date' on the bag? How saturated was the filter before storage? Does that nasty stuff come back out of the filter into the closed bag?

Once opened, the content reacts with air, moisture and any filtered compounds.
It may also be good for sales, but using twice on different days is 'forbidden' by the manufacturers. Read the attached manual. Section: Special filter limitations.

If you can't do the normal work or processes without a mask, don't do it at all.
Masks are false safety.

Prevent those gases from reaching your personal space in stead and you'll never need a mask.

From the manual:

The manual:

 

[rickbb]

Hi! I use this combo, I never smell anything in it, even though my sense of smell is very good. Sometimes you need to temporarily in a closed room, it completely filters out everything!

View attachment 52793View attachment 52794View attachment 52795

It will only TEMPORALLY filter out anything. Use it long enough and it will be useless. Is it really worth your health or life? NO! Get a proper ventilated fume hood in a separate building from where people live.

What is wrong with people?

 

[Alexander_Hun]

I change the filter regularly, I work in a workshop when the gas mask must be used. No people live there, the door and window are open, unfortunately the exhaust system is not ready yet. I've been using it this way for a long time, and I'm still alive, but I think I'll still use the gas mask when the exhaust is finished.

 

[YEMX2098]

It will only TEMPORALLY filter out anything. Use it long enough and it will be useless. Is it really worth your health or life? NO! Get a proper ventilated fume hood in a separate building from where people live.

What is wrong with people?

I appreciate the advice . This goes out to everybody that took the time to put give me their important information . I'm going to cease my refining till I read up on Hokes literature and get a safety plan, proper and complete tools/ equipment and allot more knowledge before I start back up. Thanks again !

 

[YEMX2098]

I had been smoking for 47 years when I quit. Even before quitting the smell of SMB gagged me, and I can smell and taste it for days afterwards. My wife is allergic to it as well. We often see discussions on safety around many other chemicals but very little on avoiding SMB fumes. If your working outside, work in a cross wind. Being upwind, if a breeze does come up, it will often cause a swirl effect and bring the odors back in your face. Even a cheap home built fume hood that simply raise's the fumes over your head will help.

Any advice on a DIY Fume Hood? I'm a pro at fabrication. I would want to buy the filtrationand ventilation system and fabricate the rest. Thanks for the advice. .

 

[Yggdrasil]

Any advice on a DIY Fume Hood? I'm a pro at fabrication. I would want to buy the filtrationand ventilation system and fabricate the rest. Thanks for the advice. .

Plenty threads in here, even an entire section on building your own equipment.

 

[Daniel0007a]

It depends on what you're making. For light gases like H2S and SO2 I used very well ventilation with three fans and I was fine. However, with heavier gases like Chlorine or bromine, you could not do this without the gases/vapours building up to dangerous levels. Gas masks help but they don't completely block all toxic gases.

However, not a lot of people can afford proper fumehoods so only work with materials and gases that you can handle.

 

[Daniel0007a]

Also, I worked with H2S gas it a No No gas to work with. I made Na2S by boiling bleach with Sulfur and reacting the sodium sulfide with 1 mole HCl to react with copper salts, zinc salts, and lead salts. It was interesting but Lots of ventilation is needed to handle H2S.