4 ms·

It’s surprising that after a year, people still haven’t figured out that reusable elastomer respirators with long life replaceable filter cartridges and >99% sm

by napier 6y ago

It’s surprising that after a year, people still haven’t figured out that reusable elastomer respirators with long life replaceable filter cartridges and >99% small particle filtration effectiveness are the best option from the perspectives of safety, overall cost and sustainability. I’ve been using the same pre pandemic 3M P100 industrial respirator with a retrofitted exhalation valve filter for months. It fits with a perfect seal and doesn’t get uncomfortable or warm during extended wear. Hopefully public health experts and governments will back consumer friendly, low-profile reusable respirator designs. There’s no reasonable reason for there to be a shortage at this point, after all this time, and even sending a few to every household with a link to an instructional video would cost a tiny fraction of the past and future direct and indirect economic consequences stemming from lack of optimal PPE for the general public and essential workers alike. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

justQandA 6y ago
Any reason why you went with the "P"100 (resistant to oils) instead of the regular "N"100?
- mcbuilder 6y ago
  P100 is the common designation in most uses you saw pre-pandemic, i.e. Asbestos removal, and the GP is referring to a legacy mask.
- napier 6y ago
  Seems like there’s no trade off to over-engineering health and safety in the context. N100 would be adequate but the P100 additionally provides a broader spectrum of air pollution exposure reduction which in the context of infection control helps protect the mucosal barriers from damage and preserves immune fitness, preventing T-cell depletion caused by inhalation of vehicular pollution and industrial/commercial combustion emissions, smoke, and so on.
- computerphage 6y ago
  P100 is much easier to find than N100
vxNsr 6y ago
> 3M P100 industrial respirator with a retrofitted exhalation valve filter do you have the model number for this mask? why did you have to retrofit it?
- ceejayoz 6y ago
  > why did you have to retrofit it? My 3M P100 filters incoming air, not outgoing. There's a valve for exhalation. I just wear a surgical mask over the valve.
- luto 6y ago
  "Recommended Application" for one of these masks: > Assembly and Mechanical, Chemical Clean-up, Chemical Handling, Chipping, Chiseling, Cleaning, Furnace Operations, Grinding, Laboratories, Machining, Masonary, Painting, Pouring/Casting, Sanding, Sawing, Welding They are intended to protect yourself from the environment, not the other way around. So they come with incoming filters only. To change that, a retrofit filter is needed. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Half-Facepiece-Reusable-Respirator-6200-07025-AAD-Medium-24-EA-Case/?N=5002385+3294780295&rt=rud https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-...
deegles 6y ago
Masks with exhalation valves (edit: and no filter :) are inconsiderate to others since they do not stop you from spreading virus particles. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2020/11/new-airflow-videos-show-why-masks-exhalation-valves-do-not-slow-spread https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2020/11/new-airflow-vi...
- ripecoconut 6y ago
  That's why they put a filter on it
- ceejayoz 6y ago
  > with a retrofitted exhalation valve filter
  - appleflaxen 6y ago
    that definitely fixes it. is there a way to know who has the exhalation filter and who doesn't, though? How does a high-volume retail store know whether the rando with the elastomeric mask has a sufficient exhalation filter or not? That is my big concern.
- jjeaff 6y ago
  You can't spread what you haven't caught.
  - TheRealWatson 6y ago
    Seems like everyone assumes they are not infected. It's always the others that are irresponsibly spreading diseases.
Stephen304 6y ago
How did you retrofit the exhalation filter? I have a similar 3M mask (6000 series) but haven't used it since March since the exhale port doesn't make it easy to attach a filter. Being able to use it would solve my glasses fogging, which I've only been able to mitigate somewhat with shaped 3D printed pieces of plastic in the nose-wire slot of my fabric mask.
- immy 6y ago
  Cut up surgical mask and duct tape it around the exterior vent.
  - napier 6y ago
    Also good and perhaps better than fitting internally because others can see it.
- napier 6y ago
  By cutting some N95/best available filter fabric and fitting internally over the exhalation valve. When flying I’ve worn a Korean nanofiber mask over the top for added social protection from ignorant flight attendants and airport staff who otherwise might ask me to remove it because they can’t see the internal exhalation valve filter. Korean commercially available masks are great by the way and there’s no shortage over there. In situations where a respirator isn’t viable or necessary a some masking tape over the nose bridge wire area is quite good for reducing or eliminating glasses fogging and providing a better seal.
- krono 6y ago
  I appreciate the thought and effort you and like minded are spending on this, and it hurts my soul to see the disasteraus mass Thanksgiving shopping crowds, that then showed up again in even greater numbers for Christmas in busy shopping centers.
  - napier 6y ago
    Yup. Really can’t get my head around the ostrich-lemming like attitude of the multitudes.
simonebrunozzi 6y ago
Wondering what an equivalent option would be in Europe. P100 seems to be not available outside the US.
- napier 6y ago
  Europe uses different designations but equivalents are available. Source: https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/433598O/european-standards.pdf https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/433598O/european-standar...
mft_ 6y ago
The 3M 100 (your example) is a big, bulky heavy mask that costs (according to Amazon currently) $33, and as you say, isn’t actually fit for Covid protection (in both directions) without modification. And you wonder why, after a year, “people” haven’t widely adopted them? Honestly, this is such a prime HN comment I’m not sure you’re not trolling.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- napier 6y ago
  Define big and bulky. But fair enough, that’s why lightweight 2020 pandemic redesigned versions are desirable. $33 is 9 cents a day averaged out over the year. Double it so you have a spare; that’s 18 cents a day. Not out of reach for most but they should be subsidized or provided free by the government anyway. Even as a one off, a single respirator costs less than three or four good quality cloth masks, and less than a months supply of single use designed N95s or surgical masks. Few who have ever ever worn an elastomer respirator would argue it’s less comfortable than an N95 or less efficacious than a 1918 flu era cloth mask. The exhalation valve filter adaptation could be cut and fitted with the craft skills of a five year old and took two minutes. I’m not trolling but I think you may be.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

by napier 6y ago

justQandA 6y ago

Any reason why you went with the "P"100 (resistant to oils) instead of the regular "N"100?

mcbuilder 6y ago
P100 is the common designation in most uses you saw pre-pandemic, i.e. Asbestos removal, and the GP is referring to a legacy mask.
napier 6y ago
Seems like there’s no trade off to over-engineering health and safety in the context. N100 would be adequate but the P100 additionally provides a broader spectrum of air pollution exposure reduction which in the context of infection control helps protect the mucosal barriers from damage and preserves immune fitness, preventing T-cell depletion caused by inhalation of vehicular pollution and industrial/commercial combustion emissions, smoke, and so on.
computerphage 6y ago
P100 is much easier to find than N100

vxNsr 6y ago

> 3M P100 industrial respirator with a retrofitted exhalation valve filter do you have the model number for this mask? why did you have to retrofit it?

ceejayoz 6y ago
> why did you have to retrofit it? My 3M P100 filters incoming air, not outgoing. There's a valve for exhalation. I just wear a surgical mask over the valve.
luto 6y ago
"Recommended Application" for one of these masks: > Assembly and Mechanical, Chemical Clean-up, Chemical Handling, Chipping, Chiseling, Cleaning, Furnace Operations, Grinding, Laboratories, Machining, Masonary, Painting, Pouring/Casting, Sanding, Sawing, Welding They are intended to protect yourself from the environment, not the other way around. So they come with incoming filters only. To change that, a retrofit filter is needed. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Half-Facepiece-Reusable-Respirator-6200-07025-AAD-Medium-24-EA-Case/?N=5002385+3294780295&rt=rud https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-...

deegles 6y ago

Masks with exhalation valves (edit: and no filter :) are inconsiderate to others since they do not stop you from spreading virus particles. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2020/11/new-airflow-videos-show-why-masks-exhalation-valves-do-not-slow-spread https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2020/11/new-airflow-vi...

ripecoconut 6y ago
That's why they put a filter on it
ceejayoz 6y ago
> with a retrofitted exhalation valve filter
- appleflaxen 6y ago
  that definitely fixes it. is there a way to know who has the exhalation filter and who doesn't, though? How does a high-volume retail store know whether the rando with the elastomeric mask has a sufficient exhalation filter or not? That is my big concern.
jjeaff 6y ago
You can't spread what you haven't caught.
- TheRealWatson 6y ago
  Seems like everyone assumes they are not infected. It's always the others that are irresponsibly spreading diseases.

Stephen304 6y ago

How did you retrofit the exhalation filter? I have a similar 3M mask (6000 series) but haven't used it since March since the exhale port doesn't make it easy to attach a filter. Being able to use it would solve my glasses fogging, which I've only been able to mitigate somewhat with shaped 3D printed pieces of plastic in the nose-wire slot of my fabric mask.

immy 6y ago
Cut up surgical mask and duct tape it around the exterior vent.
- napier 6y ago
  Also good and perhaps better than fitting internally because others can see it.
napier 6y ago
By cutting some N95/best available filter fabric and fitting internally over the exhalation valve. When flying I’ve worn a Korean nanofiber mask over the top for added social protection from ignorant flight attendants and airport staff who otherwise might ask me to remove it because they can’t see the internal exhalation valve filter. Korean commercially available masks are great by the way and there’s no shortage over there. In situations where a respirator isn’t viable or necessary a some masking tape over the nose bridge wire area is quite good for reducing or eliminating glasses fogging and providing a better seal.
krono 6y ago
I appreciate the thought and effort you and like minded are spending on this, and it hurts my soul to see the disasteraus mass Thanksgiving shopping crowds, that then showed up again in even greater numbers for Christmas in busy shopping centers.
- napier 6y ago
  Yup. Really can’t get my head around the ostrich-lemming like attitude of the multitudes.

simonebrunozzi 6y ago

Wondering what an equivalent option would be in Europe. P100 seems to be not available outside the US.

napier 6y ago
Europe uses different designations but equivalents are available. Source: https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/433598O/european-standards.pdf https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/433598O/european-standar...

mft_ 6y ago

The 3M 100 (your example) is a big, bulky heavy mask that costs (according to Amazon currently) $33, and as you say, isn’t actually fit for Covid protection (in both directions) without modification. And you wonder why, after a year, “people” haven’t widely adopted them? Honestly, this is such a prime HN comment I’m not sure you’re not trolling.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
napier 6y ago
Define big and bulky. But fair enough, that’s why lightweight 2020 pandemic redesigned versions are desirable. $33 is 9 cents a day averaged out over the year. Double it so you have a spare; that’s 18 cents a day. Not out of reach for most but they should be subsidized or provided free by the government anyway. Even as a one off, a single respirator costs less than three or four good quality cloth masks, and less than a months supply of single use designed N95s or surgical masks. Few who have ever ever worn an elastomer respirator would argue it’s less comfortable than an N95 or less efficacious than a 1918 flu era cloth mask. The exhalation valve filter adaptation could be cut and fitted with the craft skills of a five year old and took two minutes. I’m not trolling but I think you may be.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]