BODYCAST - THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CSOT

Fibreglass dust and its potential as a health hazard during cast removal.

By David L. Witmer, BFA , MS , Stage College , PA

With the growth of the synthetic casting type market worldwide and the introduction of new products and manufacturers, the issue of health risks associated with the use of fibreglass casting tape continues to come into question. Specifically, there is continuing concern about the potential health hazards of dust produced during the removal of fibreglass casts.

The purpose of this article is to provide some general information about fibreglass and about the potential health hazards of dust produced during the removal of fibreglass casts.

Background on Fibreglass
Fibreglass is one of the most useful manufactured products in industry, with numerous commercial applications. It is a manmade fibre composed of natural ingredients such as sand and recycled products including window glass and bottles.

There are two primary types of fibreglass: wool fibreglass and textile fibreglass. The structure and size of their glass fibres vary. Wool fibreglass, which is made up of thin, small diameter (less than five microns thickness) strands of glass, is used extensively in the building construction and appliance industries as an insulating product.

This abstract is a portion of the article which appears in the Fall 2004 issue of BodyCast.  
[SUBSCRIBE TO CSOT JOURNAL]