Evaluation of the potential health hazards associated with the machining of carbon-fiber composites. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6801383

Zustra, M A

Industrial-hygiene surveys were conducted to assess personnel exposures to carbon fibers and carbon/epoxy composite dust during carbon-composite airframe sanding operations. The operation is currently performed every two to three weeks for eight hours at a time. The nature and frequency of operation performance is expected to change as more composite aircraft are put into service. The health implications of carbon-composite particulate exposure are not well understood. Good industrial-hygiene practices, however, suggest that exposure levels be kept to a minimum. Recommendations for reducing personnel exposure have been made. To characterize the composite debris, a particle-size distribution and fiber-dimension analyses were done. Additionally, several organizational standards relating to carbon-composite particulates were evaluated. A recommendation for reducing the applicable Coast Guard standards was made. Other potential hazards identified were exposure to solvents during lay-up procedures, and to primer dust during sanding work. Both require further evaluation to determine the extent of the exposure.

• Research Organization: North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6801383
• Report Number(s): AD-A-194835/5/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Master's thesis
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON FIBERS
MACHINING
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DUSTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
PARTICULATES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
FABRICATION
FIBERS
HEALTH HAZARDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PERSONNEL
PROGRESS REPORT
REINFORCED PLASTICS
SOLVENTS
STANDARDS
SURVEYS
AIR POLLUTION
DOCUMENT TYPES
HAZARDS
MATERIALS
PARTICLES
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLLUTION
REINFORCED MATERIALS
SIZE
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
552000* - Public Health
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)