Dear Mr. Laderman
Thank you very much for your precession. You are right. Vacuum cleaner should be used with a facemask. We have a suggestion for a 3M HEPA face Mask that could be found at www.library-dust.com/store and also here below. Thanks again for your advice. Please contact me at hass@library dust.com for further assistance.
3M 8233 N100, HEPA Face Mask
It `s most efficient and comfortable face mask to protect you against books`dust This mask has an N100 filter. Meets NIOSH 42 CFR 84 N100 and P100 requirements. These respirators, HEPA certificate, have a minimum filter efficiency of 99.97% of particulate mater of less than 0.3 micron. The particulate matter includes dust, dust mite allergens etc.
It features the 3M? Cool Flow? Exhalation Valve, comfortable face seal, adjustable straps, and lightweight construction. Cool Flow Exhalation Valve reduces moisture and heat build-up within the face piece. Dispose of mask after 150 hours of use. One size fits all. For details please vist www.library-dust.com.
Laderman <zita@speakeasy.net> wrote:
While this letter seems quite authoritative in its advice on vacuum
cleaners, I have a further suggestion. Since over the past few years I have
worked with pastels some five days a week, I have had to institute a series
of safety procedures. I wear an excellent mask made in the US to protect
against inhalation of solvents as well as of particles. These are available
to meet all sorts of requirements. I also regularly clean my floors wearing
the mask and using a damp, green cleaning compound which keeps down the
dust, and takes off a great deal of the pastel. Now, I do not use any toxic
pastel colors [like the heavy metals Cadmium, or lead] none the less small
particles in large quantities in my lungs, which are not in themselves
toxic, may be unsafe. I also use solvents to "fix" the pastels to the paper
when working over them. These also can be toxic. So I use a mask which
blocks them as well.
The action of vacuuming shelves which have been brushed, earlier to remove
obvious and excess dust, will certainly add particulates to the air which
the staff member will breathe unless he/she wears a mask. The exhaust of a
vacuum cleaner can also disturb dust in some other , nearby area, while
removing the dust from one ares. This also can be covered by wearing a mask.
Some substances routinely used by librarians may include toxic
solvents[Carbon Tetrachloride comes to mind], and should probably be used
by staff who wear masks to block them from inhaled air.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Laderman
At 11:08 AM 6/3/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>3M? HEPA Vacuum, (Model 497AJK)
>
>A solution to books` dust
>
>Just a question: how get rid of dust safely? Is a vacuum cleaner safe? It
>seams that when you use a vacuum cleaner, you just move dust and you
>breathe most of dust you are moving. How a vacuum cleaner can be safe to
>not damaging to books.
>
>
>
>We have tested a lot of vacuum cleaners. We have been very pleased with
>the portable 3M Vacuum Cleaner 497 AJK. It is light enough to carry on
>shoulder or fit on a book truck. Can be moved easily between shelves, to
>clean up efficiently and quickly difficult accessible of shelves.
>
>The 3M HEPA Vacuum, Model 497 AJK, is produced by the Occupational Health
>and Environmental Safety Division of 3M and comes equipped with a true
>HEPA filter certified to meet HEPA performance of 99.97% filtration
>efficiency at 0.3 micron particle size. This is the only model proposed by
>3M Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division which can use
>HEPA filter.
>
>It comes with a dusting brush for cleaning books. It is safe to you and
>your books.
>
>For details please visit www.library-dust.com/store .
>
>
>
>
>
>To protect you against books dust visite www.library-dust.com
>
>Hassan Bolourchi, Ph. D.
>Manager,
>Library Dust Cnsulting, LLC
>964 N. Adams Rd. #5
>Birmingham MI 48009
>
>
>
>
>*********************************************************************
>Due to deletion of content types excluded from this list by policy,
>this multipart message was reduced to a single part, and from there
>to a plain text message.
>*********************************************************************
To protect you against books dust visite www.library-dust.com
Hassan Bolourchi, Ph. D.
Manager,
Library Dust Cnsulting, LLC
964 N. Adams Rd. #5
Birmingham MI 48009
*********************************************************************
Due to deletion of content types excluded from this list by policy,
this multipart message was reduced to a single part, and from there
to a plain text message.
*********************************************************************