Scott, I think the gas fumes from yard tools are not the same as the dangerous gas leaks you hear about. Masks: if you can still smell it, it's not helping.
The paper masks you are referring to (NIOSH N-95), of which 3M is one manufacturer of them, are only designed to prevent a "particulate" of a certain size (so many microns) from passing thru. Although they are technically a "respirator", they do not have the proper filtration system to protect you from anything else...that's why they are nicknamed "dust" masks.
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The most immediately harmful substance in combustion engine exhaust is cabon monoxide. Unfortunately carbon monoxide, although it is associated with the smell of exhaust fumes, is odorless.
So the answer to your question is absolutely not. Dust masks simply help prevent you from inhaling dust particles and nothing more. Tim
CO will still pass through a charcol filter "dust" mask. There are heavy duty respirator type filter masks out there...most are designed for a specific compound...(organic solvents like benzene, tolulene etc) you get the face mask part and can swap out various "cartridges" based on what protection is needed.
It looks like 3m has one that converts CO to CO2
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The paper masks you are referring to (NIOSH N-95), of which 3M is one manufacturer of them, are only designed to prevent a "particulate" of a certain size (so many microns) from passing thru. Although they are technically a "respirator", they do not have the proper filtration system to protect you from anything else...that's why they are nicknamed "dust" masks. ...»
The most immediately harmful substance in combustion engine exhaust is cabon monoxide. Unfortunately carbon monoxide, although it is associated with the smell of exhaust fumes, is odorless.
So the answer to your question is absolutely not. Dust masks simply help prevent you from inhaling dust particles and nothing more. Tim
It looks like 3m has one that converts CO to CO2 ...»
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?...
I used to use some of these when I worked in Biotech...glad those days are over.