Health and safety
Information you need before you start using the products
Safety information
Over the years we've heard about silly accidents that could have been avoided with better training and understanding for these GRP roofing products. Here are some of the main common sense safety steps to keep you safe when using these materials.
Read the product safety information
Read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for fibreglass roofing products before starting the job and familiarise yourself with the storage and safety procedures.
Wear protective glasses
Make sure you have on a pair of wrap around safety glasses before handling or mixing any resin, topcoat, catalyst or cleaning solutions. Always have two bottles of sterile eyewash on site – one for the active site area and one for backup.
Wear gloves
Never let base resin, finishing topcoat, catalyst or acetone come into contact with the skin. Always wear either heavy duty latex disposable gloves or heavy duty reusables available to buy online.
Wear protective clothing
Always wear protective clothing when using fibreglass materials, the disposable coveralls available in the store are the best way to protect any uncovered parts.
No smoking or naked flames
Never smoke on site and keep all GRP roofing materials away from any naked flames.
Transportation
The fibreglass roofing base resins, finishing topcoats, acetone and catalyst are all classed as hazardous materials and are delivered to you with transport companies who are trained and licensed to do so. Road regulations also demand that you must comply with certain aspects, particularly when transporting these materials to site.
For any vehicle below 7.5 tonnes the driver doesn't need an ADR licence however they must have received details and instructions from the company to ensure the driver is aware of the hazardous nature of the materials being transported and how to react to an incident.
The panel above details the product transport information and packing sizes for the 3 hazardous products in the Fibrelast range. This will not necessarily apply to most people purchasing GRP roofing materials, but professional contractors who carry and transport stock should have an understanding of current regulations.
GRP roofing professionals who transport these hazardous goods should have eyewash, first aid kit and fire extinguisher in their vehicles at all times to meet safety regulations. Transport emergency cards or information in writing for contractors regularly buying are available to download and should also be kept in the vehicle on display at all times.
Storage
Along with keeping you safe, storing GRP roofing materials in the correct way will also maintain the life of the system allowing for optimum performance.
The base resin and finishing topcoat should be stored in a dry and well ventilated room, below 20°c and away from the catalyst, acetone and any heat source.
Store the acetone in a tightly closed container in a dry, cool and well-ventilated place separately to the other fibreglass roofing materials. Keep away from heat, sparks and any open flames.
Catalyst needs to be stored in cool dark room below 25°c and away from flammable liquids and direct sources of ignition.
