Composite Fiber Hazards

This report reviews potential health hazards from carbon/graphite and boron composite materials used in aircraft. Carbon and boron fibers are used as reinforcement in an epoxy matrix to form composite material aircraft parts. There is increasing concern over the potential health effects of these fib...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Seibert, John F
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
AIRCRAFT
BORON
CARBON
CARBON FIBERS
CARCINOGENS
COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CORKER HAZARDS
DUST
EPOXY COMPOSITES
EPOXY RESINS
FEAR
FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES
FIBERGLASS
FIBERS
GRAPHITE
GRINDING
HARDENING
HAZARDS
HEALTH
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Laminates and Composite Materials
MAINTENANCE
MATRIX MATERIALS
PARTS
PERSONNEL
POLYMERS
REPAIR SHOPS
SAMPLING
STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
TEST AND EVALUATION
TOXIC HAZARDS
TOXICITY
Toxicology
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Description
Summary:This report reviews potential health hazards from carbon/graphite and boron composite materials used in aircraft. Carbon and boron fibers are used as reinforcement in an epoxy matrix to form composite material aircraft parts. There is increasing concern over the potential health effects of these fibers released during sanding and grinding of composite parts in structural repair shops, and during clean up operations following aircraft accidents involving fire and/or breakage of composite parts. With the demise of the term 'CORKER,' hazards from carbon composite materials were deemphasized. However, the CORKER annotation only addressed the electrical shorting hazards from airborne fibers following a fire and did not examine in detail potential health effects. Maintenance workers fear that carbon fibers are carcinogens. A review of the current literature on carbon fiber indicates it is relatively inert. Industrial hygiene evaluations should include sampling for total dust and comparing the levels to the ACGIH TLV for nuisance dust. Occupational health efforts should focus on problems with contact dermatitis from the resins systems and toxic effects of resin hardeners.