Wear gas mask to remove silicone sealant?

[WaterTight]

I heard this guy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Kruszelnicki

On the radio say he had a friend who was killed by the fungus that grows on silicone sealant.

He does shows where he will try to answer any science question put to him on any subject. He knows his stuff.

He didn't elaborate and so I tweeted him to ask if I heard him right and if so what precautions should be taken if removing old and mouldy silicone and he said this:

 

[village idiot]

Health & Safety gone mad? Where will the line be drawn? I can just see the look on the customers face when I put on a mask to remove sealant. She will phone the powers that be and get me sectioned under the mental health act. With a name like Village Idiot, she won't hesitate to let them take me away

 

[Best]

I must have been risking my life for years!
Been ripping pure black mould silicone off, with my face down close to it loads of times.
If that mould kills, you must have a very weak immune system. What about all the filth we contact when we crawl below floors or in attics or working at sewers?
Most tradespeople are immune to normal germs I bet, but guess we should all reduce the risks

 

[Chalked]

That's the equivalent of wearing a mask if there is a bit of mould inside your shower!

H&s gone awol?

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Some silicone gives me terrible headaches. Although I'm not getting a lot of plumb at present mainly gardens!! Quite like it & fresh air.

See what happens in Nov as I'll be quiet.

 

[MOSSEP]

Dr Karls a legend, I listen to him every week. Certainly know his stuff about a lot of things.

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

Blimey! I sometimes forget to wash my hands after changing toilets etc, a quick sniff before eating sarnies and I'm golden.

 

[REDSAW]

its the black mould spores found on walls and especially basements. if that gets into your system it will give you permanent respitory disease, and or eventially you could die from cpd.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

its the black mould spores found on walls and especially basements. if that gets into your system it will give you permanent respitory disease, and or eventially you could die from cpd.

dont you mean copd?

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

its the black mould spores found on walls and especially basements. if that gets into your system it will give you permanent respitory disease, and or eventially you could die from cpd.

(May) give you respiratory problems. People live with mould for years and are fine. It's down to an individual's immune system.

 

[REDSAW]

the spores grow in the lungs and cant be removed

 

[WaterTight]

If something can kill you, the fact that it very rarely will is of little comfort. And when precautions are fairly easy to take, it's probably a no-brainer.

I'm actually thinking of buying a respirator thingy to use. May look a bit stupid but I'm used to that what my face 'n' all.

Can anyone who uses respirator type things to protect from breathing in horrible stuff recommend something that would be suitable to protect from this type of thing?

 

[WaterTight]

And saying "I've been removing it for years and had no problems" is a bit like saying "My gran smoked for 50 years and she's alright."

The plural of anecdote is not data.