Is there a health hazard associated with the use of chalkdust at indoor climbing centres?

Question

Climbers have a bag of chalk that they use to help with their grip. In a confined space without adequate ventilation or extraction,could this cause respiratory problems.

Answer 1

Next time you go ask them for their COSHH (pronounced Cosh) data sheet on it. By LAW they have to have one and it will tell you ALL you need to know about its potential Toxicity.

This law goes for ANY substance used on a business premises.

Answer 2

I think it's more the particles you can't see in the air (car fumes, general pollution etc) than dusty environments that causes respiratory problems...I mean you don't hear of people getting lung cancer or chronic lung disease from the dust in their homes do you? Nobody has warned against using talcum powder on and around babies! It is likely to be more of an irritant than a hazard...if you are asthmatic it could be a pain-in-the-proverbial. It sometimes makes my nose itchy and dry, but I've never really felt that it was putting my health at risk. I know that miners have a high incidence of lung diseases which was attributed to their environment...hence the compensation... but that is a lot different to climbers using chalk. I guess time will tell...but it wouldn't stop me

Answer 3

I know that blackboards and chalk are freely available, with some additional control measures such as "Liquid Chalk and Anti Dust Chalk" products also on the market.

If you have asthma or other lung condition it would be aggravated by the chalk (it could potentially start a lung condition). If you have a skin condition it could be aggravated etc.
I remember (in the mists of time) when teachers would be cleaning the board, and when the duster became too clogged with chalk dust,they would bang two dusters together. Lots of airborne chalk dust for easy access to the respiratory system! HAving asthma, I remember teachers doing this in front of me at school and it wasn't very good for the old breathing.

Maybe not a major hazard but a known one that we could substitute away easily!

Definitely not a conkers bonkers story. It seems that this is becoming an excuse in some quarters!
anyway here are the facts as follows

radioactivity of gypsum and gypsum derived products as part of a bigger project aimed at establishing radiation levels in materials or/and products suspected to have natural radioactivity radiation risk in Tanzania. In response to the concern expressed by the users of chalk sticks in some schools in Arusha municipality, it was found necessary to establish levels of radioactivity in this product and associated radiation risk. Natural radioactivity content was determined in chalk dust, natural gypsum and normal background soil using a hyper pure germanium spectrometer (HPGe). The soil measurements were used as control. Results have shown that the concentration of [226]Ra and [228]Ra nuclides found in chalk dust were 24.25 Bq.kg[-1] and 22.86 Bq.kg[-1], respectively. These levels were lower or comparable to the corresponding 34.2 Bq.kg[-1] and 21.5 Bq.kg[-1], respectively, found in soil. However, the radioactivity levels found in the chalk dust were five times higher than that found in the gypsum 5 Bq.kg[-1] for [226]Ra and 4 Bq.kg[-] for [228]Ra. These values compare well with the value recorded for natural gypsum in Denmark of 7 Bq.kg[-1] for [226]Ra and 4 Bq.kg[-1] for [228]Ra by UNSCEAR. The calculated external (0.21) and internal (0.31) hazard indices due to radioactivity in chalk dust were respectively, lower than (0.26 and 0.35) hazard indices calculated for normal background soil. In both cases, the hazard indices were lower than the acceptable limits (≤1) recommended for building materials. This study has shown that natural gypsum and gypsum derived products have traces of radioactivity. However, the associated levels are not detrimental to health.

Answer 4

I would say yes. If you are always breathing in the dust I dare say you will eventually suffer lung damage.

If it is desirous to continue working in this environment I would consider investing in a mask that will prevent you from breathing in the dust.

Of course severity of lung damage will no doubt be affected by the toxins or harmful substances that the chalk is made from.

I have a lung condition already so you wouldn't get me breathing the air in there.

Answer 5

The chalk used in climbing, magnesium carbonate, is also used in other applications including in table salt (to make it pour better).

I'm not aware of any health and safety issues with the substance.

*****edit*****
There is a risk of coughing and mild irritation if inhaled directly, though this is very unlikely in normal usage at a climbing wall facility. See link below.

Answer 6

It helps if you use the bagged-up chalk rather than the free blocks - some climbing walls insist on this.