Safety Advice for Solid Epoxy Resins
Solid epoxy resins are considered to present a low degree of health hazard from handling.
SKIN CONTACT Even though they are not likely to cause significant primary skin irritation, some solid epoxy resins may cause skin rashes due to sensitisation in a limited number of people who contact them. However, these resins are considered less likely to cause such responses than the common liquid epoxy resins.
EYE CONTACT Eye contact with solid epoxy resins should result in only slight eye irritation. Mechanical injury to the eye from the physical action of the dust would pose the greatest hazard.
INHALTION Inhalation of solid epoxy resin vapours is unlikely because of their low volatility; however, they are prone to create dusts. Although there is no indication that these dusts pose an inhalation hazard, control of dusts through adequate ventilation and good housekeeping practices is recommended.
INGESTION All of these solid epoxy resins by themselves are low in acute oral toxicity.
MUTAGENCITY AND CARCINOGENCITY Liquid and some solid epoxy resins have been the subject of several tests for genetic toxicity. The studies have not proven to be totally conclusive but it can be seen that the risks can be classified as very low. With regard to the potential carcinogenicity of epoxy resins, looking at all the studies together the weight of evidence does not show that epoxy resins are carcinogenic. A review of the available data by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) showed that, based on limited evidence in animals and no evidence in humans, the diglycidylether of bisphenol A is not classifiable as a carcinogen.