The first and foremost aim of all members of the Federation of European Producers of Abrasives (FEPA) is to provide abrasive products that are safe and efficient to use.

As the main European manufacturers' organisation concerned with safety and standardisation for abrasives we are pleased to present this new FEPA Safety Code for Coated Abrasive products. It covers safety aspects including the handling, storage, transportation, preparation, use and disposal of these products and is the first of its kind in this field.

Manufacturers take great care to provide products that are as consistent and safe to use as possible. With this booklet we hope to extend that level of care to the education of all those involved with these coated abrasive products. We hope that it finds many readers amongst those using or supplying the products and especially those involved in training.

I would like to thank numerous companies and colleagues within the industry for their help in compiling this safety code. Particularly, I would like to express my personal thanks to Geoff Clarke, Ingemar Mellgren and Gerhard Struth for their extensive input in organising and producing this publication.

Gianni Scotti, President of FEPA, April 2004