Bioenvironmental Engineering Guide for Composite Materials

Developing a comprehensive baseline for identifying, evaluating, and controlling occupational and environmental hazards associated with composite fibers and materials for base-level Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) personnel.

Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

The use of composite materials is on the rise. Consequently, this guide was developed to provide base-level Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) personnel with a comprehensive baseline for identifying, evaluating, and controlling occupational and environmental hazards associated with composite fibers and materials.

The expectation from this guide was to assist commanders with risk management decisions when responding to composite materials in (1) aircraft repair and maintenance and (2) crash and recovery operations. BE personnel should be able to identify potential inhalation and dermal hazards, recommend personnel protection options and decontamination procedures, recommend environmental controls, and select the most suitable sampling strategies and methods for a given scenario.