Safe use of refractory ceramic fibres in the Usinor group

Refractory ceramic fibre has been classified by the European Union as a category 2 carcinogen. At the request of the Usinor group's management, a working party involving medical doctors, users, refractory researchers and fibre manufacturers was set up to review refractory ceramic fibres applications in the steel plants, to measure fibrous dust in the atmosphere of work areas, to propose a code of practice applied to refractory fibres and finally to propose substitutes for refractory ceramic fibres where it is technically possible by a less dangerous substance.