Insulation Safety

Study information about insulation safety

If you are building a new business or home, you should be familiar with types of insulation. Suppliers of industrial insulation have different “r” values that provide different levels of insulation. The type of building can affect the insulation you choose as well.

Metal building insulation options may be different than those you might choose for garage insulation. Each of these types may have different safety precautions to use. As you look at installing insulation, you must keep insulation safety at the forefront of all your plans. You should:

1. Read all you can about installation techniques for the type of insulation you choose.

2. Read the material safety data sheet (MSDS) on the specific type of insulation you choose. It should contain insulation safety measures specific to the product you use.

3. Wear the appropriate work clothing including hard hats, safety glasses and gloves as you install the insulation.

 

Find insulation safety information

If you are doing simple repairs to your home or garage shop, read and understand the basics of insulation installation before you begin the project. This information should not only give you guidelines on picking the right insulation for your needs, it should also include information on how to install the insulation safely.
Try: Look at the information at Green Living Ideas to find ideas about the long-term safety of fiberglass insulation and spray foam insulation products. This can help you choose which type of insulation offers you more safety in the long run. DoItYourself.com has a list of basic home insulation safety tips to follow as you install or replace building insulation.

Determine if fiberglass is the safest insulation for your job

Read the MSDS on the various brands of fiberglass insulation on the market. As you read the MSDS, you can decide if a type of insulation is one you are comfortable working with, and whether it's the right choice for your insulation needs.
Try: The North American Insulation Manufacturering Association has information about fiberglass attic insulation and the safety of the product. Read the MSDS on fiberglass industrial insulation at Einsulation.com. This MSDS contains information about what to do in certain situations as you handle fiberglass insulation.

Look at foam insulation options

Foam insulation doesn't pose the threat of tiny shreds of glass as fiberglass insulation does, but it has its own set of safety precautions. In a liquid state, foam can be highly flammable.
Try: Leaders in the spray foam insulation business, Bayer MaterialScience, offer information regarding long-term safety studies on foam insulation. Be sure to download the extensive library of construction insulation safety information available on its website. Read the information from Firestone Building Products for safe handling of foil insulation and foil-covered foam insulation.

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