Breathing in a lot of debris/dust at work

[jibbs]

When you get home, wash your hands really well and make sure you rinse them really well. Cup your hands together, fill them with water, slowly snort water up your nose, then shoot the water out fast as you can. Enjoy the view. =D

....is this legit advice for clearing that debris or are you just trying to find a sucker like me to snort some H20?

Granted, I've heard of those saline nasal rinse things before... but this post just has "SET-UP" written all over it, dude, lol.




I had a co-worker when I first started that always wore a mask during Spring and Summer. Our doghouse belt gets hit with the pollen hard, and it would pretty much incapacitate the dude his allergies were so bad.

OP, if you need a mask, get one and wear it. If you see other people with them in your center then it's obviously being allowed.

 

[superballs63]

OP, if you need a mask, get one and wear it. If you see other people with them in your center then it's obviously being allowed.

Just don't wear a full face, white mask with a pointy top. Apparently that's "frowned upon" at UPS LOL

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

It's either the black lung or a stroke.


Probably a stroke.



Dust is actually pretty bad to breath in. It may be smart to wear a mask even if you don't feel it's effecting you. Wearing one to prevent coughing fits seems like a no brainer. Scared to look like a dork?

 

[SCV good to go sir.]

....is this legit advice for clearing that debris or are you just trying to find a sucker like me to snort some H20?

Granted, I've heard of those saline nasal rinse things before... but this post just has "SET-UP" written all over it, dude, lol.




I had a co-worker when I first started that always wore a mask during Spring and Summer. Our doghouse belt gets hit with the pollen hard, and it would pretty much incapacitate the dude his allergies were so bad.

OP, if you need a mask, get one and wear it. If you see other people with them in your center then it's obviously being allowed.

It's legit, albeit a crude and cheap method of nasal irrigation. Obviously don't fully inhale the water, just snort it up to right before it starts to burn (will take a few tries to determine the sweet spot) and then shoot.

 

[platinum9898]

Honeywell n95 with valve. Pack of 10 for 20$ and cheaper if bought on amazon. 1 mask lasts a few weeks or just 1 in the summer. Keep in a ziplock after shifts. After my first five years i could no longer breath in that dust, really started to mess with my breathing especially at night i couldn't breathe well while trying to sleep. It's obviously hazardous to your health over years. I went driving a year ago and the best part was the fresh air i get to breathe every day.

 

[platinum9898]

Have yall experienced loading a truck that was dusty to the point you see white specks floating in the air? If you stick only your hand into the trailer white specks land on your skin? yea that give me that mask

 

[platinum9898]

You can wear a mask just need to sign some kind of waiver form the safety sup should provide you

 

[mrwiliker]

something that I found works pretty well is to become a safety rep in your area if possible. then if a trailer is excessively dusty you can demand your supervisor find you a broom or go find one yourself and sweep the trailer. It makes a huge difference! alternatively if your supervisor is giving you crap and telling you to work and ignore it you should ask that your safety supervisor be brought to you where you can alert him/her to your supervisors lack of regard for your health. Of course if your trying to keep your head down to remain under the radar then just wear a mask =)

 

[40 stops to freedom]

the best is when the little bits of floating Styrofoam go in the nose on inhale and out the mouth on exhale

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

All the sand and dirt thrown down for ice in the trailers from up North make quite a dust cloud once they make it down here. Even worse is when they take a leaf blower to the belts up top to clear all the dust and debris about once a month. The entire building gets coated in an inch of some really nasty dust, looks like volcanic ash.
A cheap grass cutting mask helps, keeps you warm in the winter too.

 

[undies]

Pretty sure you are entitled to ask for a dust mask if feel you need it. The only problem is asking for one and being taken seriously.

True story: I was in TAW and was given the task of organizing and clearing out an old supply closet. It was dusty as all get out. Years of dust from tye conveyor belts above just settled in, it was horrible. I told my center manager that I refused to do it unless given proper safety equipment. They looked at me like I was joking, I was not. They eventually caved in and had the porter come by and give me a dust mask, goggles and gloves.

 

[Mechanic86]

Got to love them black boogers =(

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You can wear a mask just need to sign some kind of waiver form the safety sup should provide you

Wut?

 

[platinum9898]

You can read right?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You can read right?

You do not need to sign a waiver to wear a dust mask.

 

[Integrity]

You do not need to sign a waiver to wear a dust mask.

UpstateNYUPSer,

I hope you and your family is well.

I do believe your statement is not accurate.

I will investigate this and report back to this thread.

Sincerely,
I

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

UpstateNYUPSer,

I hope you and your family is well.

I do believe your statement is not accurate.

I will investigate this and report back to this thread.

Sincerely,
I

My family is well. Thank you for asking.

Your opinion means nothing to me.

Dave.

 

[Integrity]

The trailers and the facility itself is really dusty. And I find myself constantly breathing in this dust. And I get coughing fits. This dust gets especially bad when irregs are dropped or when I'm cleaning up skids.

I'm starting to fear for my health.

I've noticed some workers wear masks. But most people don't wear masks.

Should I start wearing a mask or would that be stupid?

taylorswiftyyes,

The purpose of my participation in this discussion thread is not to gripe or complain about conditions at UPS, management, the Union or for that matter anything at all about UPS. The sole purpose is to discuss the above mentioned work-related issue with the original poster and other employees posting here as an initial step in possibly engaging in some concerted activity to bring this issue up to the company, the union or possibly an outside agency as a group.

It is my hope that by addressing this issue in concert we not only be working for our own mutual aid, protection and improved working conditions, but we will be working for the benefit of any and all coworkers that may have been adversely affected by this issue.

The issue you bring up is a very good one, it brings up more questions than answers about cleaning with Integrity.

I don't think the severity of this issue should be minimized although, as you can tell by some of the responses here, it is often minimized.

Questions this post brings to the mind of Integrity:

1. What does UPS Corporate Policy State about the cleanliness of UPS facilities? Are these policies being adhered to by local Plant Engineering management?

2. What does the UPS/Teamster agreement say about the cleaning of buildings, trailers and vehicles? Is the contract being upheld by non-management and management alike?

I think this is enough to check into for now.

If I find anything about this information, I will post back to this thread.

Sincerely,
I

 

[Integrity]

My family is well. Thank you for asking.

Your opinion means nothing to me.

Dave.

UpstateNYUPSer,

You are correct, I guess, partially, maybe.

The form is not actually called a "waiver".

Well here are the facts, not opinion:

Under The UPS Respiratory Protection Program (RPP)

(Did anyone even know this program existed?)

Management must have employees who choose to use a dust mask sign a form titled “Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard”.

(Not sure what standard? UPS? OSHA?)

This form must be kept on file within the operation and with Health and Safety management.

Sincerely,
I

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Respirators and dust masks are not necessarily one in the same.

The mask I am talking about is more of a surgical mask which filters the air while allowing for normal breathing.