Replies

1. 
   HeavyDuty | Jun 04, 2005 06:16am | #1

   Fibres of rock wool and fiberglass are very big when compared to asbestos so they are not going to do you in as easily.

   Wear a mask with a particulate filter.

1. 
   CaseyR | Jun 04, 2005 07:35am | #2

   You can google an MSDS on-line.  The one I checked was at

   http://www.fibrox.com/msds.htm

   Which stated, in part:

   "No significant association was found between fiber exposure and lung cancer or nonmalignant respiratory disease, in the man-made vitreous fiber-manufacturing environment"

   Wear a respirator, goggles, and gloves - that stuff will cut you to ribbons if you aren't careful.

2. 
   4Lorn1 | Jun 04, 2005 07:53am | #3

   I read, but don't know for sure, that mineral wool is less a hazard. I can say that once aged half a century or so can be quite brittle and turn to a dust that is quite irritating.

   A dust mask is a good idea. Problem is that attics are hot and a mask tends to create a feeling of being under water, sweat, and stifling. As such I usually don't wear one. I can testify that the masks with an exhalation valve are more, and stay more, comfortable. Well worth the extra money.

   Of course no mask will do much good if it doesn't create a seal and stay in place. Along these lines look for two thickish strap, a foam nose insert and/or a bendable plate. The cheap 'nuisance dust' masks with a single thin strap are less than useless. They get knocked out of position, leak, get saturated, collapse and lend a feeling of choking that makes work about impossible.

   Expect to spend about $7 per mask for a good one. But be comforted that one good one is better than a dozen cheap ones.

1. 
   etherhuffer | Jun 04, 2005 09:03am | #4

   Thanks all. I was not familiar with the product. Sure weighs a lot compared to fiberglass and indeed cuts like a son of a gun."Democracy is when the people know exactly what they want, and get it good and hard." HL Mencken

1. 
   junkhound | Jun 04, 2005 04:08pm | #5

   cough, couhg, hack

   installed thousands of sq ft of  rock wool in the 70' without a mask, hack, hac, but didn't seem to have haffe, hack, any affect on me after a few days, hork, hork,

    

   hurauph, hac, cough.

3. 
   WayneL5 | Jun 04, 2005 04:38pm | #6

   Rock wool is not asbestos.  It is rock melted and formed into fibers, so is much more like fiberglass.  Asbestos is a very tiny sharply pointed crystal.

4. 
   csnow | Jun 13, 2005 11:42pm | #7

   Even if your rock wool is asbestos free (some was not), it generally contains all sorts of other miserable small sharp particles such as mica.

   If you get too much exposure, it will not really hit you until hours and days later.  Been there. Not good.

   Wear a N100 respirator.  Also, don't forget the eyes.  I wear ski goggle with clear lenses (night skiing goggles) because they are comfortable and less likely to fog than other types.

5. 
   BryanSayer | Jun 14, 2005 12:47am | #8

   When I worked in Occupational Safety and Health there was one specific type of insullation that was causing some concern, but I don't recall it right now. The research was out in California, about 1991. If you can find the union safety person responsible for insullation, they might be able to tell you what it is.