Inhaling Perlite Dust

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palmate

palmate

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Was going to post this in cannabis infirmary but then this is really more a human infirmary topic. The guy in my shop seems to believes that perlite dust is actually fine to breathe as he’s been doing it for years and has no health issues with his lungs - so long as you’re not sticking your head in the bag and hyperventilating for an hour a day - and some other people I know have also played down the dangers of it. But prior to this I always thought it was extremely unsafe when dry and so moistened the bags contents before use, but even then i would get dry power eventually building up in the corner of my grow rooms because of fans etc. I have just read this and I think it settles the argument. At least for me. Just thought some of you fellow farmers would appreciate the info

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4002636/
 
tobh

tobh

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Thanks for sharing. Personally I use an OSHA regulated respirator with dust filters any time I work with anything that creates dust. More so for comfort factor than personal protection. I hate digging dusty boogers out of my nose for a week after working with that stuff.
 
epitome

epitome

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I take special precaution with mixing soil and ammendments, especially compost. Better safe then sorry but at some point we all say "fuck it" I've seen it over over again but I still believe it's better so have some degree of safety standard then none at all...thanks for sharing palmate, great article.
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
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@palmate -- YOU are the one who is correct.

@ShroomKing -- I've gotten extremely ill spreading wood chips that had begun decomposing, and while I was spreading I saw huge clouds of spores. Next thing I knew I was in the most serious respiratory distress I've ever experienced. Put me down for a day and a half.
 
epitome

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I think lil dabbie might have got sick from harvesting castings with out PPE...there's just so much to learn it's hard to prevent, control, and/or maximize everything but when it comes to minimizing, I think we should not cut safety corners....jus saying I love organics but it it's worth taking precautions for our own safety...I mean if the plant teaches us anything it should be to take better care of ourselves even if it means not to spray these organic cides because neem oil burnt up in my lungs is not nice or does not taste nice. I'm feeling opinionated at the moment, perdoname. Peace
 
PankFlamingoMon

PankFlamingoMon

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Perlite causes cancer. Perlite is terrible for you to inhale. We stopped using perlite at work due to the above. Not a good look.
 
juiceyjay

juiceyjay

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I don't know if you read that article correctly? All the studies show that there is no significant risk in using perlite, based on OEL regulation of no more than 20mg per whatever measurement they used for air.

I read it to page 75(reading on my phone, its 147pgs) and from what I read perlite is harmless. Unless you have your head in the bag breathing it everyday
 
epitome

epitome

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I think it's safe to assume many grunts in the industry have our heads in the shit and some of us hyperventilate maybe we should just relax and breathe slower and think positive....lol
 
We Solidarity

We Solidarity

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Maybe its harmless once in a while, but most people using perilite use it by the cubic yard, its a much different scenario than the little bag you buy at the store.

Still, repeated exposure to perlite dust takes a drastic toll, especially inside.
 
epitome

epitome

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The backs that do mix up potentially harmful ammendments need to take care of themselves buy their own PPE and use it....I'm sure some owners dish out the cash and heart to take care of their "help" but with as high as turnover is, I doubt they fucking wince.....like other agriculture industries, the people at risk are low tier with high turnover and are expendable....they/owners are the ones responsible for wording studies to read as "safe"


By the way that's a sad sad sample size for a study....if ya'll don't think it's dangerous to breathe up all that shit then study up on wish full thinking
 
Bulldog11

Bulldog11

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epitome said:
The backs that do mix up potentially harmful ammendments need to take care of themselves buy their own PPE and use it....I'm sure some owners dish out the cash and heart to take care of their "help" but with as high as turnover is, I doubt they fucking wince.....like other agriculture industries, the people at risk are low tier with high turnover and are expendable....they/owners are the ones responsible for wording studies to read as "safe"


By the way that's a sad sad sample size for a study....if ya'll don't think it's dangerous to breathe up all that shit then study up on wish full thinking
Click to expand...

Na man, you got it all wrong. It's about personal responsibility. Technically the boss should supply those things, however it's up to the worker to know what to use, and when. If you are hoping somebody else protects you, then your going to get burned.

My last boss sent me into a building that was built in the 60's, and didn't test for Asbestos. I walked in, and just knew. I closed up the job and demanded a test done. Sure enough, Asbestos insulation sprayed on the steel decks. Right where I would have been working. The boss was pissed, the building was pissed, but I was safe and smart for doing so. The building then had to pay several hundred thousand dollars to abate the asbestos. They all were mad, but fuck it.
 
epitome

epitome

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Bulldog11 said:
God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt.
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I think I'm learning your sense of humor and am sure your chuckling right? Well I'm chuckling and think of that dust storm in the mid 80's that shut down the plains and the amount of illness that struck after but I'm not blaming GoD for that...I'm just saying it is and can get you sick, to be all up In it consistently that is, ya know, in the perlite and other ammendments as well as synthetic powders and especially mycos and shit like that
 
Bulldog11

Bulldog11

2,709
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epitome said:
I think I'm learning your sense of humor and am sure your chuckling right? Well I'm chuckling and think of that dust storm in the mid 80's that shut down the plains and the amount of illness that struck after but I'm not blaming GoD for that...I'm just saying it is and can get you sick, to be all up In it consistently that is, ya know, in the perlite and other ammendments as well as synthetic powders and especially mycos and shit like that
Click to expand...

Yup, that was a joke. Something my family has said for years.;)
 
epitome

epitome

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Bulldog11 said:
Na man, you got it all wrong. It's about personal responsibility. Technically the boss should supply those things, however it's up to the worker to know what to use, and when. If you are hoping somebody else protects you, then your going to get burned.

My last boss sent me into a building that was built in the 60's, and didn't test for Asbestos. I walked in, and just knew. I closed up the job and demanded a test done. Sure enough, Asbestos insulation sprayed on the steel decks. Right where I would have been working. The boss was pissed, the building was pissed, but I was safe and smart for doing so. The building then had to pay several hundred thousand dollars to abate the asbestos. They all were mad, but fuck it.
Click to expand...
Oh ya they love a fellow like you.....I can hear it now," oh that building full of asbestos, send @Bulldog11 he'll work it just fine and I like him cuz he don't complain bout dumb shit like that"

I'm glad you take care of yourself and I hope you take care of your help as well as you take care of yourself and if not "fuck it" I'm sure you have great helpers lined up to help you out....

We can only get so much done ourselves and eventually we need the help....there's humility in protecting and allowing ourselves to be protected and as far as getting burned ya I know the "sink or swim society we live in", its quite lovely from my perspective...peace and chicken grease
 
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Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
juiceyjay said:
I don't know if you read that article correctly? All the studies show that there is no significant risk in using perlite, based on OEL regulation of no more than 20mg per whatever measurement they used for air.

I read it to page 75(reading on my phone, its 147pgs) and from what I read perlite is harmless. Unless you have your head in the bag breathing it everyday
Click to expand...
Not in using it, but if you're exposed to the dust daily, you well may be setting yourelf up for problems. And many of the growers here are mixing media using it daily.
 
S

SHIRDABZALOT

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You don't have to be a scientist to conclude that breathing ANY rock dust is carcinogenic. Both my grandfather's died from emphysema and both blasted rock with dynamite. Look at perlite under magnification and think of those lil shards slicing up your aveoli in your lungs. You dont need a medical degree to come up with the analysis that: it's bad. That being said a niosh N95 dust masks are 4 bux each. Pretty cheap fix if you ask me. Also don't breathe bat shit, can have the haunta virus. For every smart grower there are at least a 100 grower morons. Just sayin.
 
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