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Fiberglass and mineral wool: skin, eyes, and lungs

Fiberglass and mineral wool: skin, eyes, and lungs

Hazard communication 5 min 29 CFR 1926.55 · 29 CFR 1926.95 · 29 CFR 1926.102 · 29 CFR 1926.103

Drywall, HVAC

Why it matters

Batts and blown insulation shed tiny fibers that stick in your skin, get in your eyes, and scratch your throat. Most of it is short-term misery, but a whole day in an attic full of loose fiber is hard on your body. Simple gear and good habits stop most of it.

The talk

Ask anyone who has blown insulation in an attic in July. The fibers find every gap. They get down your collar and up your sleeves, and you itch all night. A batt torn in half throws a puff of fiber right at your face. Your eyes water and you rub them, and that makes it worse. Blowing loose fill fills the whole attic with it. Then there is the attic itself: hot, cramped, poor light, and only the joists to stand on. One step between them goes right through the ceiling below.

The rules here are general, not special to insulation. OSHA lists fibrous glass as a dust with an air limit, and the job has to keep you under it. Protective gear has to be provided and used where the work can hurt you through your skin, eyes, or lungs. That means safety glasses or goggles for flying fibers, and gloves and long sleeves for your skin. When the job calls for a respirator, it has to be the right type and fit you under the company's program. Read the product label and the SDS. Mineral wool and fiberglass are not exactly the same, and some products ask for more.

Here is how to work it. Wear loose long sleeves and long pants, with cuffs taped or tucked. Wear gloves, glasses or goggles, and a cap. Wear the respirator the job calls for, especially when blowing loose fill. Cut batts with a sharp knife on a board, not by tearing them. Keep the hopper and hose away from people who aren't on the crew. In the attic, lay boards across the joists to walk and kneel on, and use a work light. Don't blow fibers off your clothes with air. Shake clothes out outside, wash them separately, and rinse skin with cool water, not hot.

Key points

  1. Insulation fibers irritate skin, eyes, and throat.
  2. Fibrous glass has an air limit the job must keep you under.
  3. Protective gear must be provided and used where fibers can hurt you.
  4. Eye protection is a must when cutting or blowing insulation.
  5. Wear the respirator the job calls for, fitted to you.
  6. Read the label and SDS, since products differ.
  7. In attics, walk on boards, not between joists.

Do this

  • Wear long sleeves, gloves, glasses or goggles, and a cap.
  • Cut batts with a sharp knife instead of tearing them.
  • Lay boards across the joists to walk and kneel on.
  • Bring a work light into the attic.
  • Rinse skin with cool water and wash work clothes separately.

Do not do this

  • Do not rub your eyes with dusty gloves.
  • Do not blow fibers off your clothes with an air hose.
  • Do not step between joists in an attic.
  • Do not blow loose fill without eye and breathing protection.
  • Do not take dusty clothes into the house without shaking them out.

Talk about it

  1. What gear do we have on the truck for today's insulation work?
  2. Where are the attic hazards on this job, like open ceilings or wires?

This is a short crew briefing. It does not replace a competent person, training, or the law.

Training aid only. This talk is not legal advice. It does not replace your company's safety program, a competent person, the equipment maker's instructions, or the OSHA standard itself.

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