[Thunderstorm]

What type or grade of mask is approved to use with Formic Pro?

 

[LarryBud]

I'm not saying this from bee keeping experience as I'm a first year. However, I do have an engineering degree (along with post graduate degrees) and have managed superfund remediation, so I have pretty extensive OSHA training. Me personally, I'd have a NIOH approved full face respirator on along with butyl gloves for handling but that's me and I own one and had a recent fit test with it. That's what I'll be wearing when I do an OAV treatment in a few weeks. I'm also married to a Chemical Engineer who's worked for the EPA on high hazard remediation projects for over 30 years. I'm not familiar with the product you plan on using but assume someday I might, I sure as hell wouldn't use it for chewing gum. Read the following, it's Mann Lakes MSDS :

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/mm5/graphics/pdfs/FormicPro-SDS-US.pdf

This NIOSH chemical pocket guide description:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0296.html

Honestly, I don't know and Momma's next door on the patio having martinis right now. I do recall back in college days when I was riding a Triumph Bonneville 750 and needed a helmet due to state laws, the bike shop had a sign on the display that said " If you have a five dollar head, buy a five dollar helmet..." I bought a really nice $125 (in 1977) black full face with a reflective face shield-I looked very cool in those days and defied the naysayers who said I wouldn't make 21.
"

 

[Akademee]

So you can install formic pro and other formic acid products without an actual mask if you are using it outdoors. You can certainly get a good whiff of it, but as long as you don't bury your face in the stuff its fine. You ABSOLUTELY need to wear chemical resistant gloves though. Safety glasses are good to if you are treating a lot of hives that day.

As far as masks, you may be confusing this with oxalic acid sublimation, in which you absolutely must wear a mask when applying since the sublimated chemical will redissolve in your lungs if you breathe it in. Formic strips are slow release and will not put that much into the air.

But if you want to wear one, all you need is something like a 3M respirator with filters that are rated for Organic Vapor/Acid Gas. They make loads of different cartridges. The ones I use are from 3M and have these big pink and yellow filters on them.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

LarryBud - " Triumph Bonneville 750" First time I rode a "500", after getting off my dirt bike, I did a wheelie and almost landed on my back, also hit my fathers house with the dirt bike, BSA 650 was too heavy. I remember the new helmet law. I gave up bikes to save my legs post graduation.

I use a 1/2 face mask with P95 filters in parallel with with an organic filter ( 3M 5000 series) for oxalic acid. I believe there is also a specific model for formic acid. I mostly use my filter when cutting wood; table saw and the like.