tomg552001
It is always a good idea to wear a respirator/dust mask any time you are sandblasting or glass bead blasting. It is a smart safety precaution anytime there is dust generation.
As far as the silicosis, the answer is no. You will not get silicosis from glass bead blasting. Glass beads are in fact made from silicon. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is the main ingredient in most glasses. Glasses are by definition amorphous, which means "no structure".
Silicosis is caused by particles of crystalline (not glass) silicon dioxide that are small enough to bypass the "filter system" in our lungs. When the needle like particles get into the lungs they embed themselves in the tissue and the body's natural defense is to form scar tissue around the particles. This buildup of scar tissue leads to silicosis.
Please wear a respirator/dust mask.
RathcullenArms
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