[xchcui]

Hi.
At the attached photo you may see abrasive cutting discs at 32 mm size.They are made from resin,reinforced fiberglass,glue etc.When using this fiberglasse reinforced discs,Is the reinforced fiberglass released(as particles/dust)from the disc during the cutting?Can i touch the dust with my hand(when cleaning my working table)?
i would like to know that since,i used in the past a fiberglass pen to clean rust from electric contacts,the fiberglass could penetrate the skin like a thorn when i touched i fiberglass dust,but it was a 100% fiberglass opposed to the mixed materials in the cutting disc.So in regards to the cutting disc(assuming the the cutting disc is released fiberglass dust/fibers),can it also penetrates the skin as with the fiberglass pen even though the dust will be a mix of materials?Thanks.

[Corribus]

This has been studied extensively. Bottom line is that yes, mechanical wear produces fine particles from both the material being worn and the material doing the wearing. Fiberglass is usually made of fine silica fibers embedded in a polymer matrix. For filled materials like fiberglass, you usually get polymers particles with fiberglass fibers embedded in them, sometimes protruding out of them, with possibly some free fiberglass particles without polymer.

Any time you are abrading fiberglass (or, well, anything) you should certainly wear respiratory and eye protection, and probably gloves as well.

[xchcui]

This has been studied extensively. Bottom line is that yes, mechanical wear produces fine particles from both the material being worn and the material doing the wearing. Fiberglass is usually made of fine silica fibers embedded in a polymer matrix. For filled materials like fiberglass, you usually get polymers particles with fiberglass fibers embedded in them, sometimes protruding out of them, with possibly some free fiberglass particles without polymer.

Any time you are abrading fiberglass (or, well, anything) you should certainly wear respiratory and eye protection, and probably gloves as well.

Thanks for your answer,Corribus.
So,even though the fiberglass particales will be mixed with other materials,if i touch the mixed particales/dust with bare hands,the fiberglass can still penetrate the skin of my bare hands just like the dust from 100% fiberglass pen.Am i correct?

[Corribus]

@xhcui

I am unable to comment at all on hazards or potential health effects of exposure to dust from abraded fiberglass. That research may exist but I am not familiar with it.

I do have good familiarity with general research on abrasion and simulated mechanical wear of polymer composites, a class of materials that would include fiberglass. That research may not be directly relevant to the application you described in your post, but generally speaking such processes do liberate substantial quantities of composite particles, and those particles frequently have the embedded fibers/materials protruding out from the surface of the particles. (Imagine concrete blocks at a demolition site with rebar sticking out.) Free fillers/fibers have also been found. Much of that work is accomplished by abrading the materials under controlled conditions in environmental and analyzing collected aerosolized and deposited dust using electron microscopy. The characteristics and number of abraded particles depend on numerous factors including the energy input, force directionality and duration, temperature, and nature of the material. Regardless of the conditions, abraded particles may or may not be hazardous to touch, inhale, or ingest - but were it me I would take sensible precautions to limit exposure where I could, particularly if this was something I would be doing a lot of.

I imagine you could search google scholar to turn up occupational safety studies more specific to your application, and I would bet there has been done some research on potential hazards and health effects.

[xchcui]

@xhcui

I am unable to comment at all on hazards or potential health effects of exposure to dust from abraded fiberglass. That research may exist but I am not familiar with it.

I do have good familiarity with general research on abrasion and simulated mechanical wear of polymer composites, a class of materials that would include fiberglass. That research may not be directly relevant to the application you described in your post, but generally speaking such processes do liberate substantial quantities of composite particles, and those particles frequently have the embedded fibers/materials protruding out from the surface of the particles. (Imagine concrete blocks at a demolition site with rebar sticking out.) Free fillers/fibers have also been found. Much of that work is accomplished by abrading the materials under controlled conditions in environmental and analyzing collected aerosolized and deposited dust using electron microscopy. The characteristics and number of abraded particles depend on numerous factors including the energy input, force directionality and duration, temperature, and nature of the material. Regardless of the conditions, abraded particles may or may not be hazardous to touch, inhale, or ingest - but were it me I would take sensible precautions to limit exposure where I could, particularly if this was something I would be doing a lot of.

I imagine you could search google scholar to turn up occupational safety studies more specific to your application, and I would bet there has been done some research on potential hazards and health effects.

Okay,i understand.All my intention was to check if the dust that will created during the cutting process(and contains,among other,fiberglass)can still stab the skin(like a thorn)and penetrate the skin if you touch it with bare hand.
I wanted to be aware of that,since even though i will use respiratory,gloves and goggles,after cleaning the working area,someone else(or even me)can touch a dust residues that i might missed.It is good manner to be aware of those thing.
Thanks for your answer.