Protective Masks

LongforDodd

LatinxBreakfastTacos
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3,004
So my wonderful employer is now bringing everyone back at once to the cubicle farm. I'm lucky enough to have a small cubbyhole with a door . Disappointed they are not letting us do more teleworking.

We all have to wear masks which is great & our employer said they'd provide PPE masks to all employees. Well their idea of providing masks is to give us one a week. They claim the masks are reusable, that you can disinfect the mask in the oven @ 158 degrees for 30 minutes. It's a San Qi mask, grey/silver. I'm not sure whether it's a mask graded for pollution or surgical which would be a bit more protective. Seems like bs to me but I'm no medical expert. They say our Doctor over at EMA says they are in compliance with CDC recommendations.

Thoughts? Figure the mask they provided should be good for at least 1 wearing. Better off wearing/washing handmade cloth masks or baking & reusing this supposedly reusable mask from San Qi?
Check this out. I heard about this while listening to a talk show host named Hugh Hewitt

givingmasks.com
 

dtm1997

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
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15,412
Adjacent to protective masks and inspired by @bwelbo's q-tip idea, has anyone checked out these multi-tools. Here is an example, albeit with a very dramatic spin to it...



Just curious on opinions. Seems like something germophobes would've already been using, but now use will be increased due to the pandemic.
 

IEEEWreck

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
655
Adjacent to protective masks and inspired by @bwelbo's q-tip idea, has anyone checked out these multi-tools. Here is an example, albeit with a very dramatic spin to it...



Just curious on opinions. Seems like something germophobes would've already been using, but now use will be increased due to the pandemic.


Seems of doubtful use to me. So you contaminate a stick instead of your hand. Both will need to be disinfected. Plus you put it into your pocket, so now all that stuff is contaminated too.

If anything, I would be more likely to remember to disinfect my hands than recall I have a thing in my pocket that must be disinfected.

Re: reusing masks-
Be conscientious about cleaning your masks, folks. Letting it sit by the door uncleaned is potentially rubbing your face in virus. The good thing about cloth is that you can just drop er in the washing machine on a hot cycle.
 

Deleted member 2897

Guest
Seems of doubtful use to me. So you contaminate a stick instead of your hand. Both will need to be disinfected. Plus you put it into your pocket, so now all that stuff is contaminated too.

If anything, I would be more likely to remember to disinfect my hands than recall I have a thing in my pocket that must be disinfected.

Re: reusing masks-
Be conscientious about cleaning your masks, folks. Letting it sit by the door uncleaned is potentially rubbing your face in virus. The good thing about cloth is that you can just drop er in the washing machine on a hot cycle.

No - you throw the Q-tip away after each use. They are extremely cheap by the box. There are trash cans around ATMs, elevators, etc. If there aren’t, you can use your finger and hand sanitizer.
 

IEEEWreck

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
655
No - you throw the Q-tip away after each use. They are extremely cheap by the box. There are trash cans around ATMs, elevators, etc. If there aren’t, you can use your finger and hand sanitizer.
Ding ding ding!

This is why q tips are a much better idea than this tiny brass hook. Sorry, I was referring to the video, not using qtips. Disposable items are very powerful when you dispose of them immediately after exposure!

Possibly useful and related: this is why you still need to decontaminate even if you're wearing gloves. Just like in chemistry where you need to change gloves after handling certain reagents that could poison your reaction, you've been out for a long time and touched all kinds of things. And then yourself. And you didn't notice.

Scrub up.
 

Deleted member 2897

Guest
Ding ding ding!

This is why q tips are a much better idea than this tiny brass hook. Sorry, I was referring to the video, not using qtips. Disposable items are very powerful when you dispose of them immediately after exposure!

Possibly useful and related: this is why you still need to decontaminate even if you're wearing gloves. Just like in chemistry where you need to change gloves after handling certain reagents that could poison your reaction, you've been out for a long time and touched all kinds of things. And then yourself. And you didn't notice.

Scrub up.

Oh jeez, sorry I missed that. I'd like to think of an excuse, but I can't think of one other than reading comprehension. :D
 

dtm1997

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
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15,412
@IEEEWreck & @bwelbo - I agree that the q-tip idea seems better, but these things all claim that brass is a natural sanitizing surface, but seems dubious for the reasons mentioned (ie - put it in your pocket).
 

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,744
Well we are supposed to wear masks all day long.
What do you do?
My job has me on conference calls and video meetings most of the day--I don't know how anyone would understand me with a mask on.
(It's hard enough to understand me with a mask off ;) )
 

LongforDodd

LatinxBreakfastTacos
Messages
3,004
As must lead and zinc be. I experimented years ago with strips of copper and galvanized metal under the ridge shingles on my roof to keep the mold and fungus at bay. No molds or fungus grow on shingles downsloope of a lead boot around your sewer vent pipes if you happen to have any that old.
 

RonJohn

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,489
This has been circulating for a while, but it is funny(and informative)
4X5tdyn.jpg
 
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