I don't feel that epoxy manufactures have any malicious intent, but they will tend to interpret the data in the most favorable manner for them. And that assumes that any data available is complete and/or definative.

Epoxy is a petrochemical specifically designed to react with other other organic compounds. The prudent course of action is to assume that there is the potential for bad effects and protect yourself accordingly. If you are wrong and epoxy is perfectly safe, then you are out some money for the respirator etc., and you have made your use of epoxy a little inconvenient.

If however, you assume epoxy is benign and you don't protect yourself and you are wrong, at best you can't use epoxy any more so forget making more boats. At worst you die.

Wearing respirators, ventilating your workshop, wearing gloves, etc. are inconvenient, uncomfortable, expensive, etc. but the alternatives are worse. You might as well take reasonable precautions.

: If I were to be glassing every day, or more than once every couple of years I
: could understand ones concern for safety. I guess I'm just wondering are
: people being overly cautious or are the epoxy companies sandbagging us so
: we feel safe enough to buy more of their product. I know I've never been
: lied to before by someone trying to sell me something...