No, not bad for skin, as for the lungs, I wouldn't think so, but then again, I wouldn't make a habit of snorting it!
I've come across this a lot over the years, it more often than not does not get airborne too readily. It usually sticks to the paper twine, cotton twine and rubber components inside the cable after you've opened it.
It serves two purposes as I understand it. One, to help lubricate the individually insulated wires inside the jacket to allow for better overall flexibility of the cable. The other, to act as a water blocker. To prevent water from migrating up the cable. Something akin to talc and/or beeswax is found inside the cables among other components.
Again, I've worked for hours with this on my hands when stripping cable, with no ill effects to my skin. If it bothers you, you could wear latex or nitrile gloves.
Enjoy, RFIII
|