Home/Safety/Laboratory Safety/PME/3D Printing

Process / General Requirements

Hazard & Risk Assessment

Before purchasing, installing or using a 3D printer, ask the following questions to determine the risks involved with a 3D printer.

Process technique

What process technique does the 3D printer use? Certain techniques pose more hazards (lasers, hot objects, moving parts, etc.) than others. See Executive Summary section (above) for brief review of processes.

Material

What build material will be used and how will it be handled? Read the SDS of the material to be used. If there is not enough or incomplete information concerning the build material, research it.

Ventilation

What will be the ventilation requirements? A chemical fume hood is the best option but a snorkel may be sufficient depending on the hazards identified. Ductless fume hood and general room exhaust ventilation may be sufficient but their suitability depends on the hazards identified.

Frequency

What is/will be the frequency of 3D printing activity? Increased frequency translates into increased exposure to the hazards.

Time

What time of day will the 3D printer be operated? Many 3D printers take many hours to create a product, by running them mostly during off-hours this can help reduce exposures.

Finishing/post-processing

How will you be processing the product once the 3D printer finishes? How will you remove the excess build material? How will you be removing the supports? Will you be polishing the product? Due to the health hazards of ABS feedstock/filament, an industrial hygiene (IH) assessment may be required to characterize exposure and ensure adequate/effective controls are in place. Contact hse@kaust.edu.sa for an IH assessment.

Engineering Controls, Safe Work Practices and Storage Ventilation

3D printers using PLA media exclusively may be set-up in any workspace having at least 4 air changes per hour.
The number of PLA printers in one location should be limited by the size of the space. One printer per standard office and no more than two printers for a standard classroom or workroom is allowable. Requests for the placement of multiple PLA printers in any space must be reviewed by the Research Safety Team (RST) before proceeding.
3D printers using ABS media, including printers designed and set-up to use both PLA and ABS may only be used in work areas having a dedicated exhaust system or one pass air and at least six air changes per hour.
It is recommended that printers using ABS feedstock/filament be fully enclosed and equipped with local exhaust ventilation or used within a fume hood whenever possible.
3D printers using other types of media, including but not limited to thermoplastics, photopolymers, nylon, high impact polystyrene, high density polyethylene, metal filament, biological media or other uncommon mediaʼs shall be reviewed by the RST on a case by case basis with specific precautions required based on the hazards unique to the printing process.

Below are some general as well as specific guidance for operating 3D printers.

01

Avoid using ABS feedstock/filament (i.e. substitution) when possible as health hazards are more significant.

02

Store and use 3D printers according to criteria stated in the userʼs manual and on level and stable work surfaces.

03

Store 3D printers off the floor with electrical cords in compliance with generally accepted electrical safety standards.

04

Inexperienced users of 3D printers must be supervised while using 3D printers until they show technical competency.

05

De-clutter and remove from the work area any items that are not necessary.

06

Always thoroughly cleanup equipment and work area when finished to prevent chemical exposures from accidental contact with build materials or processing chemicals used in the 3D printer process.

07

Use 3D printers that are totally enclosed with interlocking guards. The enclosures are a critical element to reduce the amount of ultrafine particles released into the air and to prevent mechanical injuries.

08

Do not touch any moving parts of the 3D printer while in operation and be careful when printing is completed as some parts may still be extremely hot.

09

If operating near a 3D printer without mechanical guards, restrain or secure all long hair, loose clothing or jewelry.

10

3D printers must be used in a compatible manner with its surrounding environment, e.g. avoid flammable solvents or ignition sources near 3D Printers using finely divided/pyrophoric metals.

11

Be sure all 3D printers being utilized are compatible with the build material being used. This point is mostly to address the use of experimental and novel build materials.

12

If air filters are used in a 3D printer, HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters with activated carbon are required due to the possibility of nanoparticles and VOCs generations.

13

Handling of build materials must be done in a manner compatible with the userʼs manual while wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Minimum PPE should consist of smock/lab coat, gloves and safety glasses. Additionally some 3D printers, due to the build materials used (e.g. fine powders), may require the use of a respirator. See Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) section below.

14

In laboratoryʼs that use 3D printers it is a good practice to post signs, “Do Not Disturb - Printing In Process” on the printer while the printer is in operation. Some 3D printers do display an LED readout stating such.

15

Ultraviolet radiation/UV lamp: Donʼt look at the lamp; make sure UV screen is intact.

16

For print processes using an alkaline bath to dissolve support material, an emergency eyewash will be required in the immediate vicinity of the work.

17

A spill kit capable of neutralizing the caustic components of the alkaline bath shall also be provided.

18

Locations where 3D printers using combustible media such as powdered metals must be reviewed and in compliance with fire safety and other health and safety requirements before the printer begins operation.

19

Class D metal fire extinguishers are required with use of metal powders.

20

Consumer-Grade 3D Printers – Must be installed and maintained according to manufacturerʼs instructions

21

Industrial-Grade 3D Printing Systems – Must be installed in accordance with manufacturerʼs specifications, operated by manufacturer-trained users, and serviced by the manufacturer or personnel trained by the manufacturer.

Finishing the product

Even after the object is done printing, hazards can still remain. Post-processing of 3D printed objects can also introduce hazards that most people neglect but are none the less just as hazardous. Think of the hazards identified below and the questions associated with them.

The end product might need;

Cleaning

What excess build material (resin, powder, biomaterial, etc) is being removed and what are its hazards?

Note: Since it is a build material, this hazard assessment should have been determined before even beginning.

Unused powder

How and where will you be cleaning the excess powder from your object?

Since many powders used for 3D printers are of very fine grade.

What are the hazards (irritants, flammable, GHS health hazard) of the excess build materials?

Supports removed.

What tools are you using?

If a chemical bath, what are the hazards of the chemicals involved?

If a cutter, is it a mechanical or high energy cutter and does it introduce another hazard?

Where are the supports falling to?

The removed supports can be sharp, can they create a puncture hazard?

Surfaces smoothed or polished.

What tools and techniques will you be using?

How much dust will be created?

Cleaning with solvents.

What are the hazards (flammable, toxic, corrosive) of the solvent?

What material (resin, particles, biomaterial, etc) is being removed?Curing (resin based build materials). Photopolymerized resins usually need to be cured further by placement in a heated oven and subjected to ultraviolet (UV) light to attain maximum strength.

Finishing the printed object introduces more hazards into the process

As the supports are torn and cut off (above left and right), small pieces of the supports (below left) can pose eye hazards (wear safety glasses!), possibly even puncture hazards depending on the supports. This task is best done over a trash can. Similar to sanding any material, be cautious of the dusts that are created (below right).

Note: Some 3D printers print the name of the CAD file onto the base of the supports. This helps in identifying the object that was created especially in a space where many 3D printers are present and many products are being created. This one was called “Leatherman Pouch”.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

In addition to the minimum PPE set forth in PPE Standard for KAUST Laboratories, researchers may need to select additional PPE to be utilized. For more information see;

Water quality testing to ensure that the water meets standards related to, for example, temperature and pH levels.
Verifying the proper handling and administering of chemical dosing takes place to prevent biological infection from pathogens such as Cryptosporidium, Pseudomonas and other various bacteria and viruses causing gastroenteritis.
Inspecting the facility safety around pool areas to prevent, for example, slip, trips and falls, and entrapment accidents.
Biological Infection from Pool Fouling procedures to manage the potential risk to blood-borne pathogens, Cryptosporidium, Giardia and faecal pathogens.

Note

Laser safety eyewear will be required if laser beam is directly accessible  (i.e. servicing, maintenance, etc). Eyewear type will depend on wavelength and power level of laser. Contact hse@KAUST.edu.saif you have questions.

Respirator usage requires enrolling in the Respiratory Protection Program

Respirator usage

Engineering controls should be used as much as possible when working with 3D printers. If you believe your current engineering controls are not sufficient and a respirator is needed, consult hse@kaust.edu.sa for further information regarding possible respirator usage.