New Dust Helmet Saves The Day

New Dust Helmet Saves The Day SECURITY/SAFETY Miscellaneous 3-4-13 "Best investment I've ever made," says Mike Nelson, a dust-allergic Minnesota farmer who credits the Airsteam Anti-Dust Helmet he bought two years ago with keeping him in farming. "I've always had trouble breathing in grain dust. After spending only 30 minutes in a silo, I'd have difficulty breathing for many days after. Cleaning grain bins would put me out of commission for a week with a congested head and sore throat. It got to the point where I figured I'd have to eventually get out of farming completely and find something which wouldn't bother my health," Mike told FARM SHOW. His questionable future in farming did a sudden about-face, however, thanks to the Airsteam dust helmet which he first heard about two years ago. "At that time, I thought the helmet" was high priced but I also felt that if it would help me it would be worth it," Mike recalls. "The manufacturer was just beginning to explore the agricultural market. They sent me a helmet to use for 60 days. If I didn't like it, I could return it. After using it only three days I sent them a check. After using it for a year, I took on the distributorship," explains Mike. He doesn't wear the helmet all the time - only if it's particularly dusty. "I find it useful when we're swathing grain to keep the dust out of my lungs, nose and eyes. When we're harrowing or dragging, I use it to keep the dust away from eyes. Some of the other times I find it useful are when leveling off bins in the fall, when checking grain bins, when loading and unloading grain trucks, working in the silo, or when handling hay. Last summer we baled hay on a particularly warm day. The helmet didn't even fog up in what was near 100? weather. It acted almost like an air conditioner on my head. I also wear it in the hog house when we vaccinate or clean pens, and when we're moving treated grain out of bins." Mike adds that "the manufacturer tells me the helmet will also filter out ragweed pollen, which could be a real plus for hayfever sufferers." The helmet weighs 1.9 lbs. and is equipped with a small batterpowered motor which pulls outside air into the helmet's filtering system. It has two filters which must be changed every 30 to 35 hours of use. The pre-filter is washable and can be cleaned several times before disposal. Cost of the helmet is $249.00. An optional battery charger sells for $32.50. Replacement main filters sell for $3.50, and the pre-filters for $1.15 each. Airstream also makes a more sophisticated helmet for such jobs as insulating homes, working in fertilizer dust, and in industrial dust situations. This helmet, the AH-5, works on the same principle but has a more sophisticated filtering system. It sells for $342.60. For more details, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Airsteam Dust Helmet, do Mike Nelson, Distributor, Route 1, Elbow Lake, Minn. 56531.

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