Fiberglass

[Tyler Langston]

How bad is it do breath in fiberglass.
I was wearing a dust mask today when I was cutting some fiberglass down and It got into my mask somehow how much damge would It be just breating it in this time?

[machomanandysavage]

Fiberglass dust is some nasty stuff, and definitely not something you want to be breathing in on a regular basis. I wouldn't be too concerned about a little bit this one time. I'm sure I got a bit in the last couple of days working on my latest bow. You may even want to invest in one of the painting respirators if you feel your masks aren't doing the job.

Make sure you wear a good mask, glasses (or better yet goggles) and gloves when working with it. Stay safe!

[Rich Evans]

having experience with fiberglass construction from one of my previous jobs, you definitely want to get a respirator for sanding or cutting that stuff. its nasty stuff as macho said above.  if you are using those cheapy paper dust masks with a single rubber band, they are essentially useless.

they still can't do lung transplants so take we should all take precautions accordingly.

[stickmonkey]

What can it do you ask? The fiberglass dust is essentially little knives that once in the Bronchi of your lungs will remain there and cut the interior lining. Advance cases over time can and have caused emphysema, bronchitis and cancer. Not too mention other upper respiratory diseases.

latest statistics say that becoming a career firefighter will on avg reduce your life expectancy by 10-15yrs due to the exposure of particulates and gases from their job over a 30yr span.

Breathing the dust and fiberglass from making bows on a reg bases for the same period of time will most likely result in death through suffocation/congestive heart failure.

Dont think that sawdust or more importantly fine air particles are benign either. they are Desensitizers. That means every time you come into contact with them through ingestion, inhalation or contact too bare skin, your body becomes more sensitive too them. This can manifest in the form or itching, a rash, hives, etc.

Not ment to scare anyone but is ment to make ppl aware.

shane

[Pat B]

Think about what glass dust will do to your lungs. The glass cloth in fiberglass is actual glass that has been spun into fibers. Silicosis is a very serious condition.

[Dmaxshawn]

I guess Im inbad trouble because I'm a career firemans and glass bow builder. I wear a respiraotor but not long sleeves.

Shawn

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I'm an undergroung coalminer and by federal law have to have a lung x-ray every 3 to 5 years. Federal law mandates that an underground coal mine can only have 6% silica in the dust with out a special dust control plan in action.
Silicosis is a very serious condition as PatB stated and due the nature of my occupation is something that's brought up continuaslly. The stuff you can see floating around in the air isn't what will kill you it's the microscopic stuff that you breath in that builds up in your lungs over time that get's you down the road.
Whether it's fiberglass, wood dust or whatever,  any kind of dust that come's from building bows you need to wear a good respirator when exposed to it.
I don't think the little you have breathed in at this point is gonna hurt you but if you continually breath it in over 15 or 20 years it could be ugly.
Not any thong to play with bud you only get one set of lungs, take care of them.