ORIGINAL: TexasThermalKing
The range of hazards is huge with polyester, and vinylester fiberglass resins. You need to get more involved than this forum advice will provide. You need to know first...that the dust in the entire shop area will have a paticulate count per square foot of air...that contains many things the lungs cannot dissolve once inside. Only the organics will be diminished in years to come. Polyester resin is not dissolved by the body...it will bed itself in the lung and be there years later. So true for glassfiber, any kind, carbonfiber, fiberglass insulation, polyester peel ply that has been ground...etc. The shop will give you a respirator...by all means keep it clean, good filters, and wear it. The off gas from catalyzed resin is toxic to the blood, not to be breathed or absorbed thru the skin. The shop will be heavy with vent fan systems for this reason...but in tight quarters, in and around molds in layup...keep your head up out of the tight spaces where you can get heavy off-gas concentrations. Use a gas respirator...not a dust respirator for fumes. They will train you in all aspects of safety...don't listen to the guys around you if they don't do things the safe way...do as you are taught. Take the time to collect all the MSDS sheets on the chemicals, resins, solvents, cleaners and any other products with hazard warning labels. They say alot about how to properly handle them, use them, and protect yourself from their dangers. You have a right (OSHA) to all information you request. If you are going to be in an industry, learn the industry. You can be safe on your new job...You need to learn how. There is a list of the TOP 50 known carcinogens...CANCER PRODUCING AGENTS...(American Cancer Society) ....get the list...know the chemicals and compounds . You will see 25 of them, everyday in the fiberglass business. Every industry has some type of hazard....Your safety in the end is up to you, learn to guard yourself, act on it when you see or think you are heading out of it's bounds.
AN MSDS sheet...read by one man...saved 5 on one cold day! PM me and I'll share it with you.
VERYgood info, but the OP is not american. He is in the UK. He can probably get access to said information via the internet, but he needs to contact local UK agencies (if they exist).