My employer runs a big fleet of Mercedes LGVs and smaller Sprinters.
Following a recent diagnosis for a respiratory illness and subsequent investigations as to how it occurred I discovered my employer has opted not to fit Cabin Air Filters to the fleet.
The air I breathe comes straight from the exhaust of vehicle in front. 
A recent study puts the level of pollution in my cab much higher than outside on the pavement.
There is no legislation in place requiring these filters to be fitted. But then there is no legislation requiring air filters fitted to protect the engine, only exhaust filters to protect the environment.
So this is just to inform everyone to check they have cabin filters in place and that they are regularly maintained.
It might be helpful if this is posted in the āHealth and Familyā forum for anyone suffering from asthma,COPD, chest pain, headaches, sore throats etc.
Er, how did the subsequent investigations pin the blame on your vehicleās pollen filter? becasue you said it looked a bit dirty? You walk around in a space suit apart from when you are driving your lorry?
cav551:
Er, how did the subsequent investigations pin the blame on your vehicleās pollen filter? becasue you said it looked a bit dirty? You walk around in a space suit apart from when you are driving your lorry?
No cav551 it didnāt look a bit dirty because there is NO filter fitted. The cab is dirty though. An oily film on the inside of the screen and sooty deposits everywhere including I guess my lungs. As I said in my post the pollution levels are much higher INSIDE the cab than outside so no I donāt walk around in a space suit. Iām not blaming anyone for my illness just making people aware they may not be protected from pollution as the filters are optional. 
The oily film on the inside of the windscreen is a result of the gases given off by the plastics on the dashboard.
Conor:
The oily film on the inside of the windscreen is a result of the gases given off by the plastics on the dashboard.
Thanks for the education lesson. Can you then explain why the trucks with cabin filters are clean and have no oily film on the inside of the screen ? If you donāt think air filters have any effect why not save a few bob and take the air filters off the engine.
.
Vid1954:
Conor:
The oily film on the inside of the windscreen is a result of the gases given off by the plastics on the dashboard.Thanks for the education lesson. Can you then explain why the trucks with cabin filters are clean and have no oily film on the inside of the screen ? If you donāt think air filters have any effect why not save a few bob and take the air filters off the engine.
Engines have air filters to stop ingestion of debris like grit and dust which would lead to rapid engine wear if a filter wasnt fitted. Older trucks and even newer poverty spec supermarket type dung heaps without air conditioning wont have pollen filters fitted as these were originally fitted to protect the system from dust.
Its still possible that some manufacturers will fit a cabin filter of some sort in a vehicle without air con but these dont stop much below around 20 microns and with exhaust particulates around the 3 micron mark these will still enter the cabā¦
I have respiratory problems which are aggravated when I drive in heavy traffic and areas where air pollution is know to be high, even with a pollen filter which is changed often I still have problems.
Last year I bought this air purifier and have not had a problem since:
AndrewG:
Engines have air filters to stop ingestion of debris like grit and dust which would lead to rapid engine wear if a filter wasnt fitted. Older trucks and even newer poverty spec supermarket type dung heaps without air conditioning wont have pollen filters fitted as these were originally fitted to protect the system from dust.
Its still possible that some manufacturers will fit a cabin filter of some sort in a vehicle without air con but these dont stop much below around 20 microns and with exhaust particulates around the 3 micron mark these will still enter the cabā¦
I would still prefer any filter to no filter. The technology is moving fast. " Bosch Cabin Air Filters are designed and tested to meet High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) standards based on test standard ASTM D2986, and provides filtration efficiency of 99.97% at 0.3 microns*."
Bloody hell ! How did we survive all these years without wearing closed circuit respirators ?
I wear scuba gear whilst driving. Can never be too safe. I say safe, I ran out of air in a traffic jam last week and passed out face mask forward straight onto my steering wheel, horn going off, rubber covered arms hanging limp.
Bloke driving a micra rescued me. Close one.
peterm:
Bloody hell ! How did we survive all these years without wearing closed circuit respirators ?
I started off driving a Haulpak in the Pilbara in the 70s. If it was my youngster starting now Iād want him/her protected with the best available technology. As for James the Cat,check your Scuba tank, it has an air filter fitted.
I started this post recommending cabin air filters for your health but it seems like the vocal Senior Members here find the health of their colleagues a joke. I can assure you walking around tied to an oxygen tank is no joke.
There is something you can do yourself about traffic fumes, IIRC the heating and ventilation system of most vehicles has had the option to select recycled cabin air since the 1970s.
If the truck(s) the OP drives has a housing for a pollen filter, why not buy one and fit it. Theyāre probably cheaper than a cab full of bling, or or a belly buster breakfast.
If theyāre a cab hopper, slip the filter in place while doing their checks, then at the end of the shift pull it out and stick it in their work bag ready to use the next shift.
peirre:
If the truck(s) the OP drives has a housing for a pollen filter, why not buy one and fit it. Theyāre probably cheaper than a cab full of bling, or or a belly buster breakfast.
If theyāre a cab hopper, slip the filter in place while doing their checks, then at the end of the shift pull it out and stick it in their work bag ready to use the next shift.
I took your advice and bought a cabin air filter as recommended by Mercedes. The company have refused to let me fit it. My specialist respiratory consultant has advised me not to drive the truck without a filter.
What would you suggest now ?
Stop moaning. Weāre all going to die anyway no point getting your knickers in a twist. Crack on.
I canāt see how the cab air without filter is more polluted than being on the pavement?? Itās the same airā¦
The only sure fire way of not breathing that ā ā ā ā in is to be hermetically sealed in with a respirator mask. Not exactly practical.
One thing I would say is if you live in the country then come into a city, you can smell the traffic/fumes pollution. It stinks.
Until (if) one day all traffic is running on hydrogen/battery etc then there will continue to be high levels of traffic pollution.
I think this post is worthy of thanking the poster rather than taking the ā ā ā ā . Our health is or should be high on our list of at least showing an interest. I have never given consideration to air filters before this post. I for one will be looking at converting a gimp mask and turning it into a respirator as I think it would look good worn in the cab with ray ban sunglasses. Great piece of PPE and quite fashionable whilst keeping us safe and our lungs clear. Depends where you pickup and drop but probably best to take it off during these operations. Great post and lets get on this.
bazza123:
I canāt see how the cab air without filter is more polluted than being on the pavement?? Itās the same airā¦The only sure fire way of not breathing that [zb] in is to be hermetically sealed in with a respirator mask. Not exactly practical.
One thing I would say is if you live in the country then come into a city, you can smell the traffic/fumes pollution. It stinks.
Until (if) one day all traffic is running on hydrogen/battery etc then there will continue to be high levels of traffic pollution.
Nazis used to pump exhaust into the back of a truck. Didnāt do the cargo much good. The level of pollution inside the box you sit in is much higher than the levels outside. Thats a known fact and has been for twenty years.
Mercedes recommend fitting the filter because it stops 100% of pollen and 98% of other pollutants. Costs about Ā£10. Yes we are all going to dieā¦ some horribly gasping for air. 95% of trucks on the road have cabin air filters fitted so most of you are protected. The remaining 5% thank you for your supportā¦or is that you saying weāre all right Jack your other unprotected colleagues can ā ā ā ā it up and get stuffed ?
Vid1954:
bazza123:
I canāt see how the cab air without filter is more polluted than being on the pavement?? Itās the same airā¦The only sure fire way of not breathing that [zb] in is to be hermetically sealed in with a respirator mask. Not exactly practical.
One thing I would say is if you live in the country then come into a city, you can smell the traffic/fumes pollution. It stinks.
Until (if) one day all traffic is running on hydrogen/battery etc then there will continue to be high levels of traffic pollution.
Nazis used to pump exhaust into the back of a truck. Didnāt do the cargo much good. The level of pollution inside the box you sit in is much higher than the levels outside. Thats a known fact and has been for twenty years.
Mercedes recommend fitting the filter because it stops 100% of pollen and 98% of other pollutants. Costs about Ā£10. Yes we are all going to dieā¦ some horribly gasping for air. 95% of trucks on the road have cabin air filters fitted so most of you are protected. The remaining 5% thank you for your supportā¦or is that you saying weāre all right Jack your other unprotected colleagues can ā ā ā ā it up and get stuffed ?
WOW no need to be so touchy, I think your post was a good insight and a bit of food for thought, but a bit of banter is all that some of the posts are. I donāt think the Gimp mask / respirator was a bad suggestion?