work

[redneckroot]

I teach Industrial Arts or Tech. ed whatever you want to call it. I'm in the old metal shop, which is now also a wood shop. I have a smoke hood from when they use to weld the hood doesn't work. I do not have a dust collector, no working ceiling fans or ventalation of any kind besides a fan with a house furnace filter rigged on it that i rigged up. I've been pushing for a dust collector for almost a year now. When the students are working the dust gets so thick that it looks like the room is full of smoke. So i've gone to the board meetings, met with the buisness manager, had my principle in the room to see it. I was then told to find a dust collector and figure out the duct work, so I did. Today I get called over to the buisness office, the buisness manager hands me a paper and says "I found a better collector for a lot less money" the thing is basically a friggin shop vac. So I went to a board meeting tonight and asked "how can a school that is surrounded by farm land spend 7.4 million on a turf football field, yet they cannot spend 4,000 on a dust collector." I was told that they will get back to me at the next meeting. I'm trying to get the kids to work with their hands, and the way its looking is I'm going to die at a young age from breathing in all this crap. I'm posting this on here because hopefully someone out there at some point will be able to support the tech. guys in your schools before we all loose our shops to health concerns. Okay my rants over.

[SNOOT]

See if you cant use respirators. There are some very good ones out there at a reasonable price.
You may also look into your local LI rules and see about making a call to them to see if there is anything they can help with as far as rules and regulations.

They have helped me save thousands over the years just making suggestions. All of my welders are very good at using there safety equipment. It took a year or two to convince the long timers that using respirators can and will help there day to day life.

Many now live better lives as a result of implementing these practices at the work place. They don't miss as many days they feel better and will live longer as a result. Its a tuff sell on a person that has been doing without for 15 plus years but if you can get them to try it just for 30 days I promise you they will keep using the tools supplied.

Good luck...

[DIESELCHICK]

I think you should "dare" the board members, business manager and the principle to come to your class EVERY DAY for at least 1 week. OSHA is another route you could take, but it might be easier to find another job. Is this school for high school or college? If it's for high school students you may need to get the help of some parent to go to the board meeting with you......college students, maybe they can do a walk out (or picket whatever you want to call it), or at the least ask them to write a letter to the board, manager and principle for better conditions. Take care and don't give up YOUR health is worth fighting for, you have to be there for every class.

[Richie O]

If I were you I would find a 12v71 detroit power plant and make that run the exaust fan. I bet you would get a nice unit after that. I used to work in a public works department as a mechanic and the boss used to always turn off the exaust fan because it was sucking out heat. Used to drive me nuts. When I used to have to weld the street sweeper body I would start the vacuum on the sweeper to pull out the smoke. You only have one set of lungs.

[redneckroot]

This is for 7th and 8th graders. I was going to make a call OSHA and have them come out for a little visit, but I fear that the school would just tell me to do book assignments and hot glue some paper together instead of spending the money. Last year I bought two shop vac's that I hooked up to the machines but they didn't last to long, running for 40 minutes straight. I will have to see how this week goes.