Is anyone using a respirator?

[Aaron_3437]

Is anyone using any form of a special mask or respirator for darkroom work? Due to the lack of proper ventilation, I believe I'm getting a mild form of sinusitis from chemical fume. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[John Cook]

I find one useful against the small cloud of dust produced when mixing powdered chemicals. A simple paper dust mask is not useful.

My supplier for this sort of thing, as well as gloves, aprons, goggles and labware is Lab Safety Supply:

http://www.labsafety.com/home.htm

Their catalogue is the size of the NYC Yellow Pages. So there is also a huge selection of cartridges for the respirators.

[Peter Collins]

Fit of a respirator is paramount. You must purchase from a source that can fit-test you at the point of sale. When the respirator is on your face, and the proper cartridges installed to protect against organic vapors and particulate (the kind you likely need), the sales technician can conduct a fit test. The test is conducted with you wearing the respirator; the testor introduces an odor within inches around the front and sides of the respirator--usually an ester (smells like bananas)--and you will not detect it if fit is proper. If you do detect bananas, the fit around your face is insufficient, and at least some air is "short-cutting" directly to your nose without passing through the cartridges, defeating the respirator.

If the source can't fit-test you, either find another source, or contact local first responders (fire, etc.) and see if someone will do this as a favor before you purchase.

I'm in the environmental business (26 years) and 'been there; done that.'

[Mark Sampson]

Might it not be better to find a way to ventilate the darkroom properly? Respirators may help the health issues but having to wear them is annoying at the best of times. Have you considered a citric acid stop bath, or an alkaline fixer? F-6 paper fixer has less odor too.

[Jeff Lentz]

I use one for mixing chemicals. John's right, Don't bother with the paper dust masks, you'll need a good one that'll take care of the chemicals. I got mine @ lowe's I think, it was probably $30 or so. Jeff

[Bruce Watson]

Due to the lack of proper ventilation, I believe I'm getting a mild form of sinusitis from chemical fume.

There are reasons why the chemical manufacturers specify ventilation instead of wearing a respirator. They want you to get the fumes out of your living space.

Wearing a respirator while you are in the darkroom might help, but what are you and your family going to do outside the darkroom? You don't think those fumes are going to be nice and obedient and just stay in the darkroom do you? If so, think again. Every time you open the door, every time you walk in and out, you stir the ambient atmosphere. In other words, you exchange air from from your living space with your darkroom.

Whether or not chemical contamination outside the darkroom raises to a dangerous level is anyone's guess. Why play that game with your health? Ventilate the darkroom.

In addition to good ventilation, you should use a respirator when mixing chemicals from powder. John's suggestion of Lab Safety Supply is good for a source.

Finally, you should keep the darkroom very clean, especially if you use a pryogallol developer like PMK. If you let spills dry, they go right back to powder and disturbances mix the powder back into the ambient air for you to breath.

[Mike Troxell]

"Is anyone using any form of a special mask or respirator for darkroom work?"

Yes. I'm using a 3M 6001 (6003?)respirator with the organic vapor cartirdges. It might be overkill but I develop my 4x5's in Pyro plus I have asthma. Both extremely good reasons to use a respirator. Plus there is the fact that if I had started using a respirator in the darkroom 20 years ago, I might not have asthma now. I might have it anyway but you never know. I also wear nitrile gloves while developing.

[Gene M]

Use a water stop bath and an alkaline fixer.

[Aaron_3437]

Many good pointers, but I'm working under some constraints, so proper ventilation isn't possible at this time. Not sure which chemical fume is the cause, but I suspect it's Hypam (acidic) rapid fixer. Previously, I've had no problem with TF2 alkaline fixer and a water bath. May be better to go back to the alkaline fixer. Will also investigate 3M 6001 (6003?)respirator. Thanks for the many great response.