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Do you standardly wear a mask when reducing/debriding nails? If so, what type of mask? Our national infection control guidelines recommend "wearing a dust filter mask. Surgical masks generally are not suitable. A quality, reusable respirator mask that fits firmly to the wearer’s face is recommended. Reusable
masks should be identified for the wearer and stored clean and protected from environmental contamination between uses.".

I am currently writing up a research project on Podiatry dust and would be very interested to know whether people feel masks and dust extractions drills are essential for Health and Safety of Podiatrists.

I am currently writing up a research project on Podiatry dust and would be very interested to know whether people feel masks and dust extractions drills are essential for Health and Safety of Podiatrists.

I would definitely say that dust extraction and masks were necessary to the Health and Safety of podiatrists. Personally I would hate to think I have not tried to protect my lungs by debriding/burring fungal nails (or any other sort) without a mask with a fine particle filter.
Why would we as a profession be any different to anyone else who deals with fine dust (who wear masks to protect themselves?).
Good luck with your research and look forward to seeing the results.
Wendy

I am currently writing up a research project on Podiatry dust and would be very interested to know whether people feel masks and dust extractions drills are essential for Health and Safety of Podiatrists.

Please tell me where the National Infection control guidelines are published.

As far as I know, this is our most recent (maybe only) guidelines http://www.apodc.com.au/infection/na...on_control.pdf

I admit to being very lazy with use of masks but as I am currently reviewing a lot of our work procedures, I see from a OH&S prespective I should be wearing them. But then do they provide any benefit when they don't remove the fine particles.

I have been using a HEPA filter in my room for 10 yrs, it filters out down to 0.3 of a micron. When I move into my own building in a few months I intend to install a Niedermeyer flexible arm tube for an external extraction system so that all the dust leaves the workspace as it is produced. I'll be very interested to see the results of your research and to know how you went about it.
regards Phill Carter

What is Niedermeyer flexible arm tube?

I did a google search and found them. It is a 100mm dia tube that can be postioned wherever you want it, it stays there, you hit the power switch and it sucks.....it is an extraction machine set up somewhere outside your treatment room which is connected to the arm by a pipe up into your ceiling, the visible part being the Niedermeyer semi rigid/flexible arm, which sits up out of the way on the ceiling until you put it where you want it in order to use it. I intend to install a system soon, cost about $3k I've been told
regards Phill

Sorry, I got the name wrong: Nederman Fx Extraction arm 100, they are German I think, but have an office in Melbourne
Phill

Thanks for the info. Sounds interesting.

Thankyou for comments.Just writing up discussion now so all very interesting to add in. Does anyone know if there is an equivalent national guideline in UK I have spoken to all professional bodies for guideline on mask and all have said it is personal choice. My actual reseach has been looking at the distribution of the dust particles from a drill around clinic which questions what anyone in the treatment area will be breathing in. I have looked mainly at nail dust but if anyone can point me in the direction for any studies on skin dust it would be great.Just in case I have missed anything. Anyone heard of any studies on MRSA in Podiatrists??Thank you

Dust and the podiatrist is a good topic and pretty relevant to the average pod.
Is an air purifier or Dust extractor a waste of money?
Is there any proof either way?
We take the mask off after drilling but the dust is still in the room.

How much do dust extractors work anyway?
How harmful is the dust to us?
Is there a quantity of parts per million that may be harmful or is it just what is on the skin that may end up doing some damage?

Drills generally have a dust extractor but apparently make smaller particles, files make larger particles but dont have an extractor... which is better?

Id love to find out the answer to these questions if they they are out there.

At the moment I think my lungs are doing most of the work.

An aspect of particulate matter being inhaled has also been researched for the treatment of verruca and molluscum contagiosum using either laser or electrodessication techniques. Perhaps, from a 'skin dust/particulate' perspective this may be worth looking at to add to your discussion.

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Dharmendra (Drummond) Goven

Thank you.Do you know who has researched or where it has been published?

I did my dissertation on this subject in my final year. I found it is misguided to believe that masks will prevent inhalation of particles etc as tests in the clinic found that a certain quantity of airborne particles remained for up to an hour later. I can't remember much more of the outcomes I found but I hope your interest in it is greater than mine as I found myself losing the will to live after a year on this dry-as-an-arthrospore subject

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...ubmed_RVDocSum

Check this out and perhaps some of the associated/related articles.

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Dharmendra (Drummond) Goven

Hi,
a bit late in the discussion, but just wanted to add my two cents worth.
I feel that wearing a mask when burring is as important as wearing a seatbelt when driving. It may not be 100% effective, but sure helps.
I feel lost if I don't.

I find that my drill absorbs the fine dust but the big projectile chunks still fly at me, so I wear goggles, an isolation gown and a procedure mask ( I keep a bar of soap in my mask box, it is wonderful), a colleague of mine wears a disposable plastic visor, may be overkill ( he used to be a microbiologist). It might be a good idea to do lung function tests periodically to monitor impact.