Never have but I have to hold my breath sometimes. I don't like to do because I don't want to freak out my customers or the neighbors.

 

I dont wear a respirator if the label says nothing about one. There is a fine line between protecting yourself and scaring the public. If you need to wear a mask it would be on the label.

 

I wear a respirator. You and I know the average wind in Oklahoma is 15 mph. Tomorrow it is 30-35, yesterday gust to 33. In the perfect little world we would wait for the perfect conditions then spray. But everyone of us are out there every day spraying. That little fine mist you feel every once in a while hit your face, well it is being deposited in your lungs. I have never had a customer ask why or freak out or cancel service because I wear a mask. Heck-- before I started wearing one customers would tell me all the time, you shouldnt be breathing that stuff all day long. Snorting Barricade, Gly,24-d, Li-700,Dye, Surfractant,all day long, I dont care what the label says, if its not good for you its bad for you.

 

Varmit what type of mask do you wear?

I have thought often about this. #1, it isn't on too many pesticide labels the need to wear a respirator. #2, those things have to be hot as blazes in the summertime, #3 yes you do stand to scare your customers "he's wearing a space suit mask, what he is spraying must be next-to lethal, #4 on the flip side yes you do get some fine mist in your face, even on a ride-on, what are the long term effects of that?

 

I am no concerned when using a Chemlawn gun with a shower-head nozzle. It produces large droplets, especially the white nozzle which is why I used it. Naturally a few drops hit your pants. The small droplets of low volume nozzles are more prone to blowing back in your face.

Years ago in Canada. Some scientists conducted some tests. Lawn care applicators sprayed grass with 2,4-D. The analyzed their urine for the next 24 hours to determine exactly how much 2, 4-D was taken up. Not much of a problem with the Chemlawn gun.

 

I wear a respirator. You and I know the average wind in Oklahoma is 15 mph. Tomorrow it is 30-35, yesterday gust to 33. In the perfect little world we would wait for the perfect conditions then spray. But everyone of us are out there every day spraying. That little fine mist you feel every once in a while hit your face, well it is being deposited in your lungs. I have never had a customer ask why or freak out or cancel service because I wear a mask. Heck-- before I started wearing one customers would tell me all the time, you shouldnt be breathing that stuff all day long. Snorting Barricade, Gly,24-d, Li-700,Dye, Surfractant,all day long, I dont care what the label says, if its not good for you its bad for you.

How are you sure you havent lost customers from it? Most customers wouldn't tell you they didnt go with you because of it. Yes those droplets have hit most of our faces but just like most labels say you should wash it off. Not due to inhalation but due to absorption. Customers that dont know any better will say you should be wearing one all the time, it doesnt mean they know what they are talking about. Your the professional not them. If you feel better wearing a respirator then do it, but if it were a serious concern it would be on the label.

 

One would think the label has proper safety research for each product.
But, then there is DuPont.....scary

 

I wear one quite bit. I spray a lot of hedges and it is impossible to be perfectly downwind all the time or sometimes spraying a 15ft tall hedge thats 10' from a building. I firmly believe there are situations where wearing a respirator is necessary even though the label does not list it. I wear the 3m 7502. Its more comfortable than I would have thought and easy to get on and off.

 

Not 100% sure, But I think in Oklahoma its law to wear a mask. I rarely do unless I feel it hitting me in the face a lot on windy days.

 

I wear one quite bit. I spray a lot of hedges and it is impossible to be perfectly downwind all the time or sometimes spraying a 15ft tall hedge thats 10' from a building. I firmly believe there are situations where wearing a respirator is necessary even though the label does not list it. I wear the 3m 7502. Its more comfortable than I would have thought and easy to get on and off.

Spraying hedges and trees is different that's for sure. I would wear as much protection as possible. When I sprayed on golf courses I always wore a respirator and spray suit because drift was unavoidable at times and you just couldn't escape and spray fairways and greens accurately.

I'm sure everyone knows to check for wind direction and spray and do your turns so you are always traveling upwind if at all possible.

 

I have all the PPE. I do use it all when the need comes up. I have to be careful not to look like I am landing on the moon. I spray around food stores so, you got to be careful what you spray, where and how much it smells and oh yes what you look like.I find myself spraying down wind and holding my breath very often.

 

Biggest thing Ive noticed is switching from Pendulum 3.3 EC to Pendulum Aquacap, prodiamine, or surflan. I guess its the carrier that smelled so bad. Customers have even said it doesnt smell so bad. Plus being a solvent, it seemed to be nasty on rubber hose.

 

I wear one quite bit. I spray a lot of hedges and it is impossible to be perfectly downwind all the time or sometimes spraying a 15ft tall hedge thats 10' from a building. I firmly believe there are situations where wearing a respirator is necessary even though the label does not list it. I wear the 3m 7502. Its more comfortable than I would have thought and easy to get on and off.

Well, thats understandable.. Im not familiar with those applications but I would think spraying over your head would have to be taken into consideration. Spraying a lawn though you arent really getting covered, at least Im not. I wear chaps to keep it off my pant legs but that is about the only nonrequired ppe I wear.

I also agree with the dupont statement made earlier, I wont be trying any new products first anymore haha.

 

If it is windy I will also wear chemical chaps that protect my legs up to the waist. I spray round one with dye. You would be surprised how much dye I wash off the chaps after a day of spraying. I would much rather it be on the chaps than on my jeans, above my rubber boots in contact with my skin all day.

 

I do if it is trees and shrubs. A high pressure gun or spray wand presents a greater hazard than properly set up lawn booms. I also do if I am hand gunning herbicides into tall brush. Otherwise, what is applied into a lawn is not supposed to be drifting. If it is, you have more to worry about than inhaling it. Think about what that drift is going to contaminate and/or kill.

 

only when required, which is only for my shrub and tree chems it seems .

funy thing about perception is that some of the household chems carry a more heavy label then the products i use. many of the house chems are danger/poison with skull and bones. that is nasty stuff, yet my chems usually care a caution label

 

thanks for all the input. IT is not nearly as much of a concern to me what my customers "think" about my PPE, as getting cancer later down the road, or other issues. I, like said above had many costumers express concern over spraying without a respirator.

Which i do agree also that household chemicals carry a heavy label, but also most people are not exposed to it 8-12 hours a day, in the wind where inhalation is easier.

Most of the time, i dont get the mist that hits me in the face, but occasionally you get in an area where the wind is swirling in alley ways between houses and you can feel the mist hit you, i just dont want that stuff in my lungs or absorbing in my skin if there is ways to prevent it.

 

Do what ever makes you feel comfortable. It shouldnt matter what we say. I personally feel I am adequately protected while I am applying with out one. You have more of a chance having adverse effects while mixing and handling the concentrate than you do spraying.

 

Which is why the DOA here requires waterproof aprons and eye protection when mixing/loading. I have mentioned many times that one of the most potentially hazardous products commonly used is Three Way amine. The concentrate in eyes or on skin is not good.

 

Phillie and Varmit Commision,

Where did you get your chemical chaps? I thought about wearing my rain pants over my regular pants but chem. chaps seems it would be better? I notice orange (surflan) and yellow (prodiamine) above my boots and on the thigh area on my pants, especially when doing it all day. It's not that bad, but I would like to minimize the amount that gets on my regular pants.

Thanks

 

Phillie and Varmit Commision,

Where did you get your chemical chaps? I thought about wearing my rain pants over my regular pants but chem. chaps seems it would be better? I notice orange (surflan) and yellow (prodiamine) above my boots and on the thigh area on my pants, especially when doing it all day. It's not that bad, but I would like to minimize the amount that gets on my regular pants.

Thanks

I get mine from gemplers. Mine are lightweight. They have some that are thicker and some that have inner linings but they get to hot for my liking.

 

Gempler's has chaps

 

Gemplers is where I buy mine but- they are not barbwar proof so I have to buy several at a time. They do get hot sometimes but far out weigh getting 3-way all over my legs.

 

10-4. Thanks. I thought about my chainsaw chaps after I messaged you but those may get too hot on a warm day too. They're prob. not rated exactly for chem. protection either.

 

One additional aid to keep liquid off your legs. I use a 12 inch extension on the front of the Chemlawn gun. It puts the solution 12 inches further away from you. I also use the white nozzle(4 gpm) even if spraying only 3 gpm, because the larger droplets do not drift--no mist.