Fibre reinforced plastic is a durable, light material that can be used for a variety of applications. FRP grating, FRP decking, FRP structural profiles and FRP cable trays & ladders are common areas of application and are used for both industrial and residential purposes. If you want to use FRP for your building project on your property, you are most likely going to have to cut it to get it to fit your purposes. However, cutting FRP products can be a dangerous procedure, and you need to be aware of how to do it safely. In order to protect yourself from injuries when working with FRP products, there are few things you should think about.

Blade

The first thing you should think about as you're about to cut FRP is that you might want to consider using a diamond tipped blade to cut it. Ordinary blades can get worn quite quickly when used on fibre reinforced plastic and this increases the risk of the blade getting stuck. If you're using a manual saw, getting it stuck can pull muscles in your arms. If you're using a machine to saw the material, a blade that suddenly stops can break the machine and also injure you as you're trying to fix it. Make sure you turn off the machine completely before touching anything if your blade were to get stuck. Otherwise, consider using a diamond tipped blade to avoid the issue.

Dust

Dust created when sawing FRP products can be harmful to your respiratory system. This is why you should make sure to always wear a mask or a respirator when cutting FRP products. You should also make sure that the area you're working in is well ventilated. If you don't have access to a dust collecting system, or if you can't work outside, you should at least have a fan blowing the dust away from your face and body as you're cutting the FRP.

Fire

You also need to be aware that FRP might be a fire hazard, as many of the substances it's treated with are inflammable. Don't saw the material for too long at a time, as the heat built up during the process can cause sparks to form and ignite the material; this is especially important if you're working with a machine, as it's faster than a manual saw and therefore build up more heat. You should also have a water bottle or a fire extinguisher close by as you're cutting so that you quickly can put out any fire that might start from the FRP cutting.