Stop asking fellow techs to wear N95s?

[Aitch Vak Rook]

New to the industry. Glorified filter changer here ready to learn it all. Lol. Hi everyone! I worked with a light commercial company and our most valued senior tech told me it was a must that i join this forum. Almost a year after i got canned, here i am finally joining, taking the profession serious, now that i learned the hard way that the great thing I once had, I stupidly took for granted. This is my first post. So here goes nothin, wanabe tech to actual techs, i wanted to ask.. Should i not suggest fellow techs to put in a mask for dust and particulates from ceiling tiles, or would i be deemed the annoying saftey boy newbie? Thanks in advance for the reply and or takin your time to read me.

[DDCtech2020]

I wouldn't if I were you, I think you may be seen as an annoyance. If you are seen as an annoyance most guys will not want to work with you or show you tips and tricks of the trade. We are all grown men and women and are fully aware of safety precautions that need to be taken and when. If a tech chooses not to wear a mask then thats their choice and I dont feel they need to he hounded about it, cause they wont wear it anyway. Most all of us are wore out on safety crap, especially the guys that work for OEMs and large company with dedicated a safety department or safety officers. Just my 2 cents.

[R600a]

I would definitely not ask somebody else to wear an n95 unless for some reason I was in charge of their safety. But if I happen to be running to the truck to grab myself one I'd ask if anybody else wants one.
It all depends on your manner.
The only person I would tell that he had to wear a respirator is my boss's grandson who is also an apprentice and sometimes works with me because he is not 18 and I would feel responsible if anything happened to him.

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[pageyjim]

I wouldn't ask a fellow worker in your position to put on a mask. If I was in your position and your company has a policy of wearing one I would back away from a fellow worker not wearing one and make it obvious what you are doing. I would then apologize and say you have a family member that you are concerned about with a pre-existing condition etc and that is why you did that without thinking about it and then apologize again. You will learn much about that person in what they do next.

Good luck

[pecmsg]

Assuming this has nothing to do with the current regulations.

As far as work place Safety, your new. Follow the safety rules, Do No let someone tell you that you don't have to wear a mask, knee pads, hard hats or anything else. YOU are responsible for your safety.

Now you can ask but as the new kid on the block if they don't want to wear a mask its there lungs not yours.

[valdelocc]

Mask are a waste similar to removing your shoes before boarding a plane, but we all somehow pay the price for government failures!

[ammoniadog]

Mask are a waste similar to removing your shoes before boarding a plane, but we all somehow pay the price for government failures!

They definitely are not a waste if you're crawling around in an attic all day filled with fiberglass or blown in insulation, or if you are boring a hole through a thick concrete wall or drilling a bunch of overhead anchors with a non-hepa equipped hammer drill. I have done these types of jobs several times with and without a mask. Without the mask I usually end up hacking that crap out of my lungs for several nights and mornings afterwords. With the mask it's much, much better.

The older I get I also find that earplugs are definitely worth the trip back to the van as well. Things like this are the things you wish you wouldn't have taken for granted when you were younger.

I think R600a has the best advice. Tell your co-workers that you are going to your truck to get a mask (and/or ear plugs) and ask if they'd like one too. Then leave it at that either way.

Please try not to waste the masks though. You are very lucky if you still have some. I was down to may last 2 masks about a week ago. I gave one away to a coworker who I felt bad for, for having a job where he had to crawl through a bunch of fiberglass all day. Then I used my last one up a few days ago when I was drilling a 4" hole through a concrete wall. I now am down to that single, already used mask that I'll need to hang on to for dear life for god knows how long until they are released for sale to us mere construction workers again.

[ammoniadog]

By the way, Aitch Vak Rook, welcome to our site! What does your user name mean? I can't figure out how to pronounce it. Are you from a different country other than the USA?

Are you currently working in the HVAC field, or still trying to get back into it? Either way, good luck on your journey!

[thatguy]

They definitely are not a waste if you're crawling around in an attic all day filled with fiberglass or blown in insulation, or if you are boring a hole through a thick concrete wall or drilling a bunch of overhead anchors with a non-hepa equipped hammer drill. I have done these types of jobs several times with and without a mask. Without the mask I usually end up hacking that crap out of my lungs for several nights and mornings afterwords. With the mask it's much, much better.

The older I get I also find that earplugs are definitely worth the trip back to the van as well. Things like this are the things you wish you wouldn't have taken for granted when you were younger.

I think R600a has the best advice. Tell your co-workers that you are going to your truck to get a mask (and/or ear plugs) and ask if they'd like one too. Then leave it at that either way.

Please try not to waste the masks though. You are very lucky if you still have some. I was down to may last 2 masks about a week ago. I gave one away to a coworker who I felt bad for, for having a job where he had to crawl through a bunch of fiberglass all day. Then I used my last one up a few days ago when I was drilling a 4" hole through a concrete wall. I now am down to that single, already used mask that I'll need to hang on to for dear life for god knows how long until they are released for sale to us mere construction workers again.

If you can’t safely do the job because the employer can’t provide adequate safety gear then the job should not be done. You are the tech who will pay the price for using an old dirty insufficient respirator (or no respirator at all) it is your call and you are allowed to refuse unsafe work (at least in Canada we are, I assume it’s the same for the states)


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[Unlimited1]

I use water (pump sprayer) when going through concrete. Any place I go that’s unfinished space like an attic/ construction site/ above a tile ceiling, I definitely wear a mask...

Fiberglass and silica dust from concrete never leaves your lungs..not to mention spray painting but that’s a specialty mask

I don’t use masks for anything else...I don’t buy into the fear mongering of this “alleged” epidemic . I eat healthy, take supplement vitamins and minerals, have not had a sniffle in almost 8 years. Billions more on the planet are just like me..but you will not see that in the news ever...

[theoldscroll]

I use water (pump sprayer) when going through concrete. Any place I go that’s unfinished space like an attic/ construction site/ above a tile ceiling, I definitely wear a mask...

Fiberglass and silica dust from concrete never leaves your lungs..not to mention spray painting but that’s a specialty mask

I don’t use masks for anything else...I don’t buy into the fear mongering of this “alleged” epidemic . I eat healthy, take supplement vitamins and minerals, have not had a sniffle in almost 8 years. Billions more on the planet are just like me..but you will not see that in the news ever...

Wear a mask where applicable for your safety on the jobsite, just like hardhats etc. Today wear a mask where applicable to someone else's safety and or peace of mind. Correct to some extent that many feel the pandemic is pure BS. Although I personally feel that we "need" to be exposed to things so we can naturally become immune to things, around old people i'm maskin up.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Welcome to H-talk... get your post count up and apply for PRO status...
There is a wealth of information and knowledge behind the PRO door...
And we can discuss technical stuff there (forum does not want tech information open to DIY folks).

Simple answer to the question:
Adults do not like to be nagged...
Especially by the rookie!

Do your job, listen, and learn... that is what you are there for!
You can use whatever safety gear you want... however do not try to be the 'safety mom'... pros do not like that... and you will end up loosing the potential opportunity you could have had!

Be cool with the folks you will be learning from!!!

[thatguy]

Take care of your own health right now. When you have apprentices working under your care then take care of their health also. You are teaching them how to do their job, but also how to do it safely. Hopefully your journeymen do the same for you. If they aren’t looking out for you then you just need to be diligent and don’t sell your health away to anyone. If it costs the customer or company more money for you to do a job safely then that is why the job takes. Nothing is worth more than your health.

It wouldn’t hurt to mention health risks to people when you see safety hazards but forcing it upon others may become problematic to you. But just because they don’t wear a mask doesn’t mean you can’t wear one.


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[MKnight88]

If you got canned from one company and you are grateful to be at a new one..... put your head down and learn. Ask questions about what you are doing but don't tell senior techs how to do things. You have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal don't piss off the people who can pass it to you. If you ask about wearing a mask for doing ceiling tiles ask once and get your answer. If you have to debate about stop asking.... then you should stop. If you want to wear one wear one.

[BBeerme]

We just hired him back. He did a no no, so boss dudes let him go. Pretty sure he learned his lesson. He's gonna be doing office duty for a while, I hope they get him back in the field down the road, he was the best helper I've ever had!

New to the industry. Glorified filter changer here ready to learn it all. Lol. Hi everyone! I worked with a light commercial company and our most valued senior tech told me it was a must that i join this forum. Almost a year after i got canned, here i am finally joining, taking the profession serious, now that i learned the hard way that the great thing I once had, I stupidly took for granted. This is my first post. So here goes nothin, wanabe tech to actual techs, i wanted to ask.. Should i not suggest fellow techs to put in a mask for dust and particulates from ceiling tiles, or would i be deemed the annoying saftey boy newbie? Thanks in advance for the reply and or takin your time to read me.

[R600a]

New to the industry. Glorified filter changer here ready to learn it all. Lol. Hi everyone! I worked with a light commercial company and our most valued senior tech told me it was a must that i join this forum. Almost a year after i got canned, here i am finally joining, taking the profession serious, now that i learned the hard way that the great thing I once had, I stupidly took for granted. This is my first post. So here goes nothin, wanabe tech to actual techs, i wanted to ask.. Should i not suggest fellow techs to put in a mask for dust and particulates from ceiling tiles, or would i be deemed the annoying saftey boy newbie? Thanks in advance for the reply and or takin your time to read me.

How would have thought a few months later we would be wearing bandanas wondering if we will ever be able to get real N95s again.

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[timebuilder]

The N95 protects only the wearer, not those around him. It is designed to filter the air going in. It does not filter the air going out. The outgoing air leaves through the check valve in the front, without filtration.

[timebuilder]

New to the industry. Glorified filter changer here ready to learn it all. Lol. Hi everyone! I worked with a light commercial company and our most valued senior tech told me it was a must that i join this forum. Almost a year after i got canned, here i am finally joining, taking the profession serious, now that i learned the hard way that the great thing I once had, I stupidly took for granted. This is my first post. So here goes nothin, wanabe tech to actual techs, i wanted to ask.. Should i not suggest fellow techs to put in a mask for dust and particulates from ceiling tiles, or would i be deemed the annoying saftey boy newbie? Thanks in advance for the reply and or takin your time to read me.

Unless you have been told to make those reminders by management, I would not.

[Vinster]

would i be deemed the annoying saftey boy newbie?

Yes

[hvac69]

It's not up to you to be their mommas. Plus N95 is a classification and has zero to do with the whether or not there is a relief vent.