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Refractory ceramic fiber dust

Airborne fibers and dust generated during manufacture, handling, installation, removal, or machining of refractory ceramic fiber insulation.

Airborne form

fiber

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

respiratory irritationskin irritationeye irritationpulmonary fibrosispotential lung cancer riskpotential mesothelioma risk

Evidence

NIOSH associates occupational RCF exposure with adverse respiratory effects, skin and eye irritation, and potential carcinogenic risk.

Source: pdf ↗ · saved source
page 5 · Executive Summary · 1
NIOSH determined that occupational exposure to RCFs is associated with adverse respiratory effects as well as skin and eye irritation and may pose a carcinogenic risk based on the results of chronic animal inhalation studies.

NIOSH reports that RCFs may cause fibrosis and lung and pleural cancer at high doses and recommends local exhaust ventilation at points of particle and fiber release.

Source: html ↗ · saved source
What this means to you; Description of control · 1
Results of inhalation tests with animals have shown that RCFs cause fibrosis and lung and pleural cancer when administered at very high doses. NIOSH concludes that RCFs are a potential occupational carcinogen. Local exhaust ventilation is designed to capture the contaminant near the point of release.

A NIOSH health-hazard determination involving ceramic wool insulation found a potential health hazard from employee exposure to ceramic wool fiber and reported dermatitis associated with dust exposure; sampled fibers were generally above respirable size in that evaluation.

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page 4 · Environmental Evaluation · 1
Because of the association between relatively larger fiber diameters and dermatitis, bulk samples of the Kao-wool material were obtained for fiber diameter sizing. Sizes ranged from <1 micrometer to approximately 125 micrometers, generally above respirable size.

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