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Health risk of using pole system?

WinWiz

Member
Messages
56
Firstly, I'd like to thank all those in the past on this forum who have answered my questions so competently. It really got me going when I knew nothing.

Something has started bugging me in recent months though and I wonder if anyone else has experienced this.

I bought some Phoenix poles from Pure Freedom a year ago and they are now well used (The Anti Pinch, Levers and Nuts are excellent btw - in case you were wondering. It's a lot better than 3 other systems I have worked with). They are the carbon and glass fibre mix.

I noticed after a while that my hands were coming up in itchy marks. I thought at first that it might be an allergic reaction to excessive exposure to pure water. But I've realised that there is a fine powder that comes off the poles as I slide them up and down throughout the day to adjust them.

I do have one commercial job every 8 weeks where it's a dirty yard with mud, cement and all kinds of muck that unfortunately gets onto the pole hose and then into the pole. I don't know if that grit has started having an abrasive effect and caused a fine powder to gradually start coming off the poles or if that would have started happening anyway?

But when I get home, I can't wait to wash my hands and face. This black stuff ends up on the hand-towel.

My best theory is that it is fine fibreglass that is causing the itchy blisters on my hands. If I'm right, then that's what's getting on my lips too. I'm sure I'm digesting a small quantity of it. How dangerous is that? Are we talking respetory problems later?

 
Have you seen a doctor about your hands as you may have an unrelated skin condition?

Curious why you wait to get home to wash your hands. Also why don't you use a barrier cream & gloves if you suffer from itchy hands.

 
I don't know. I use carbon poles and I have a few small raised circles on my right hand. They look like warts, but don't itch.
i,ve got that on the inside of my thumb tuffers, sure this was mentioned it past posts loads of our fellow brothers

had this

 
i,ve got that on the inside of my thumb tuffers, sure this was mentioned it past posts loads of our fellow brothershad this
Yeah, I have a smooth lump at the bottom of me thumb. Starting to get the ingrained black in the hands now, time of the year I suppose.

 
I too have a raised hard piece of skin on the inside of my thumb, but I'm not going to let it bother me. Every job has its issues. In my last job it was wearing body armour giving you a back back.

As for the black stuff, I have always worn gloves so don't really notice.

 
It's what ppl get when they actual do work tuffers as pads of skin will grow naturally. Stop trying to throttle yer pole as it wont get any bigger you know./emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Those pics look sore mate, i would wear gloves if i were you.

I'm probably wrong, but i would suggest that its the hybrid thats causing those irritations, it'll be the fibreglass not carbon doing that, dont know if you have ever worked in lofts or with loft insulation? Its nasty nasty stuff

 
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