Are there any dangerous or hazardous materials used in aircraft construction?
Yes !!! Aircraft Parts Brokers, as well as Aircraft Maintenance Personnel, should be aware of the different types of hazardous materials that are found in a couple of obvious components and one not-so-obvious component. For example, smoke detectors contain radioactive Americium 241 in a seal chamber. No one should attempt to open this seal chamber due to the risk of radioactive exposure. Another component is the Luminous EXIT signs. These signs contain a radioactive Tritium which allows it to be seen in the dark. Lastly, the component that poses the greatest risk are the Flight Control Counter-Balance Weights. The weights are made of depleted Uranium 238, which are 100% Cadmium Plated, emits low levels of radiation that is not harmful to humans, but these weights must be handled with caution. The true danger arises if a person were to grind through the cadmium plating. This action would cause radioactive Alpha particles to become airborne. Ingestion of these particles may cause irrepar
