Health and Safety
& Risk Assessment
for users of
Brunel 007 - Composites
Manufacturing Laboratory
Staff associated with
composite modules
• Academic
– Stephen Grove,
– John Summerscales
– Mike Miles (MATS320),
– Miggy Singh (projects)
• Technicians
– Richard Cullen, Greg Nash, Richard Kenyon
• Researchers
– Richard Cullen, David Harman,
– (from 23 January 2011) Daniel Okanigbe
Principal material groups
• Resins
– unsaturated polyester (UPE)
– epoxide/epoxy (Ep)
– phenolic
• Thermoplastics
– polypropylene (PP)
– nylon (PA: polyamide)
– polyester (PET: polyethylene terephthalate)
– poly ether ether ketone (PEEK)
• Fibres
– aramid (Kevlar, Twaron)
– carbon
– glass (usually E-glass)
• Solvents, release agents, etc
Health and Safety
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
– can you substitute a safer material
– can you use an engineering solution
– are you using appropriate personal protection
• Environmental Protection Act
– you must dispose of materials in the correct manner
• A clean and tidy workplace is a safer workplace
– if you are not using it put it away
– if you must leave anything out,
make sure it is clearly labelled
Health and Safety:
Unsaturated PolyEster resin (UPE)
• base resin: polymer chains with reactive sites (50%)
• styrene: reactive diluent (50%)
– volatile
– flammable:
• flash point 31 degrees Centigrade, explosive limits 1.1-8.0%
• NO SMOKING, no naked flames
– toxic:
• (inhalation) ODOUR threshold 25 ppm (Scandinavian Occupational Exposure Limit)
– little inhalation irritation 4 g/kg of body weight
• (skin contact) IRRITATING: evident as itching and redness
– frequent or prolonged contact leads to dermatitis
– degreases skin
• (eye contact) IRRITATION may last several hours
Health and Safety:
Unsaturated PolyEster resin (UPE)
• COSHH
– substitution: resin without styrene (eg epoxy)
or low styrene emission resin
• Engineering controls
– general ventilation to reduce background level
– local exhaust ventilation with flow away from operator
– use shielded rollers to reduce droplet cloud
– protection:lab coat, barrier cream, gloves, goggles
• Disposal to waste solvent bottle if resin uncured
Health and Safety:
Unsaturated PolyEster resin (UPE)
• Peroxide Initiator (usually added as 1-2%)
– acetyl acetone peroxide (AAP), benzoyl peroxide (BzO2),
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)
– SEVERE IRRITANTS to skin
– CAUSE BURNS: wash immediately for 15 minutes with water
and obtain doctors attention
– CORROSIVE to moist tissue (eyes, nose, throat, airways to lungs)
– Irreversible damage may be caused to eyes by prolonged contact
– avoid contact between MEKP and rust
– BzO2: EXTREME RISK OF EXPLOSION by shock, friction, fire or ignition
• COSHH
– substitution: different resin system?
– engineering controls: use as a dilute solution if practicable
– protection: protective clothing, face/eye protection
• Handle and open container with care
• Ignition: contact with combustible material may cause fire
– do not mop up with e.g. paper cloths
• Disposal do not empty into drains
Health and Safety:
Unsaturated PolyEster resin (UPE)
• Accelerators (1-2%)
– cobalt-based solutions in styrene
(cobalt naphthenate or cobalt-octoate)
– amine-based 25% solution in styrene
• TOXIC if swallowed, inhaled or
allowed to remain in contact with the skin
• FUMES from burning accelerators
contain toxic materials
Health and Safety:
Unsaturated PolyEster resin (UPE)
NEVER, NEVER mix
initiator directly with accelerator,
they will form an
EXPLOSIVE mixture
Health & Safety:
Epoxy resin (Ep)
• Base resin
– mild to moderate primary skin irritants
– irritation potential increased by prolonged
skin contact
– EPOXY SENSITIZATION:
• skin reddens in close proximity to uncured resin
• For all curing agents
– wear protective clothing and goggles
– ventilation is essential
Health & Safety:
Epoxy resin curing agents
• Aliphatic amines
– alkaline caustic materials
– cause burns and severe tissue damage to skin, mucous membranes and eyes
– ALL contact should be avoided
• Solid aromatic amines
– less caustic, less irritating and less sensitising than aliphatic amines
– diaminodiphenylmethane (DAPM) is toxic/known to cause liver damage in humans
– DAPM can be absorbed through the skin so all contact should be avoided
• Cycloaliphatic amines
– variable in their irritation and sensitising effect
– extremely irritating to the eyes
• Polyamides
– skin irritants of varying sensitivity, but generally non-sensitising to the skin
– extremely irritating to the eyes
Health & Safety:
thermoplastics
• generally chemically inert
• need to be processed at high temp.
– beware of molten polymer (hot!)
Health & Safety:
Reinforcement Fibres
• all reinforcements should be regarded as a nuisance dust
when cutting/machining
• control limits are 10 mg/m3 total dust
– 5 mg/m3 for man-made mineral fibre
• respirable dust is believed to have a particle size of <3 μm
– for safety a value of 5 μm is assumed
– the major reinforcement fibre diameters are in the range 6-15 μm
– carbon and glass fibres are not expected
to break into lengths shorter than the diameter
– aramid (and polyethylene) fibres have a complex microstructure
and may fibrillate into particles of <3 μm (respirable?)
• disposal
– All man-made fibres are a notifiable waste
and must be disposed of into the bagged bins provided
Health & Safety:
ancillary materials
• you are also likely to use ....
– solvents
– release agents
– etcetera
• read the Material Safety Data Sheet and
compile your own risk assessment
before you start work
Health & Safety:
sharps
• You will be working with
potentially dangerous chemicals
• They need not be harmful
if they are treated with respect
• The most common entries in the
Accident Book are cuts from knives
or from sharp edges on demoulding
First Aid at Work plus ...
• The nominated First Aiders for Brunel are:
– Steve Edmonds, 2.32536 Brunel W15
– Tony Tapp, 2.32539 Brunel W14
– both in laboratories near to the South door
• Cumberland Centre Minor Accident Unit 567999
• Royal Eye Infirmary 315159
• In an emergency, call Security first on 3333,
(Security can than expedite the services once on site)
then ring for external services using 9.999
Health & safety: summary
• Remember to:
• read and follow suppliers safety sheet and instructions for use
• store and handle materials in the appropriate safe way
• consider alternative materials and engineering controls
• use ventilation and fume/dust control equipment properly
• wear appropriate personal protection
• good housekeeping is essential for
your safety and that of your colleagues
Health & safety: summary
• Do not:
– smoke, eat or drink
in the laboratory or storage areas
– mix peroxide initiator with accelerators
– allow waste to accumulate
– use solvents for cleaning skin
– use combustible materials
to soak up spillage
And ...
if in doubt
ASK !!
Risk assessment
• really, this is simple:
– probability * severity = risk factor (RF)
– if RF is high, then how can it be reduced?
• http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/mats324/risk.htm
Risk assessment
• probability
1 = unlikely
2 = possible
3 = probable
• http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/mats324/risk.htm
Risk assessment
• severity
1 = minor
2 = serious
3 = critical
• http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/mats324/risk.htm
Risk assessment
• remember, risk factor is calculated
– risk factor (RF) = probability * severity
1-3 = low risk
4 = medium risk
6 or 9 = high risk
– RF cannot be 5, 7 or 8
• http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/mats324/risk.htm
Some people do stupid things …
• The winners of the competition: safety at work
• Construction workers
• The Galway Car Recovery incident
• DeWalt power tools
• Petrol tanker in Paraguay and mobile-phone-as-a-light