Fiberglass irritant contact

Fiberglass dermatitis is one of the most common professional mechanic irritant contact dermatitides (ICD) (Heisel and Mitchell 1957 Fisher and Warkentin 1969 Lachapelle 1986 Konzen 1987 Okano et al. 1987 Adams 1990 Fleming and Bergfeld 1990 Tarvainen et al. 1994 Adams 1995 Rietschel and Fowler 1995 Stam-Westerveld 1996). 

Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R, LahteenmaJd MT, Keskinen H (1991) Occupational urticaria from welding polyurethane. J Am Acad Dermatol 24 825-826 Koh D, Aw TC, Foulds IS (1992) Fiberglass dermatitis from printed circuit boards. Am J Ind Med 21 193-198 Lachapelle JM (1986) Industrial airborne irritant or allergic contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 14 137-145 Lachapelle JM (1987) Industrial airborne irritant contact dermatitis due to dust particles. Boll Dermatol Allergol Profess 2 83-... 

Eby CS, Jetton RL (1972) School desk dermatitis. Primary irritant contact dermatitis to fiberglass. Arch Dermatol 105 890-891 Estlander T, Jolanki R (1988) How to protect the hands. Dermatol Clin 6 105-114... 

Irritant contact dermatitis is caused by mechanical friction from headbands or wristbands in runners, helmets in football players, gloves and fiberglass in hockey players, and adhesive tape in basketball players (Bergfeld and Taylor 1985 Kantor and Bergfeld 1988). Irritation may also occur after application of medicaments, antiseptics, insect repellants, cosmetics, oily sunscreens, or leakage of cold-pack chemicals (Bergfeld and Taylor 1985 Kantor and Bergfeld 1988). 

Other dermatologic problems among commercial roofers not necessarily related to coal tar exposure include scars/keloids and fiberglass dermatitis (Emmett 1986). Few dermatologic problems have been associated with asphalt apart from the occasional thermal burn. Asphalt is derived from petroleum and is made up of the non-volatile hydrocarbons left after petroleum has been refined into gasoline and other products. Air-blown asphalts, which are produced from petroleum residue at temperatures between 400 F and 600 °F, are primarily used in roofing materials. In addition to thermal burns, irritant contact dermatitis occurs from the defatting action of repeated exposure to these chemicals (Mackison et al. 1981). 

Fillers present a potential inhalation and dermal contact hazard. They can cause mechanical damage to the skin, which may aggravate the irritant effect of other chemicals and additives. When fillers are handled in a liquid epoxy matrix or in a cured epoxy, their inhalation hazard is low. However, inhalation exposure to fillers can occur when they are handled in the dry state or when one is machining or grinding cured epoxy products. Inhalation exposure to fillers such as crystalline silica or fiberglass may result in delayed lung injury. Asbestos fillers have long been abandoned from use for these reasons. 

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