Deborah Thuman on sun 4 mar 12
What you do at home or at your own studio is your business.=3D20
What happens in the clay studio at the university where I take my clay =3D
classes is every student's business. We never had studio safety until a =3D
few years ago when a student neglected to mention at the start of the =3D
semester that she was pregnant. She did ask later on if the chemicals in =
=3D
the studio would harm the baby.=3D20
I've seen students use their hands to stir up glaze and slip. Um=3D85 if =
=3D
you have to wear a mask while making it, are you sure you want to stick =3D
an ungloved hand in it? I've seen unmasked students in the glaze room =3D
using glazes while another student was mixing up a glaze recipe. Um=3D85.. =
=3D
if I have to wear a mask while I'm making it, are you sure you want to =3D
be unmasked in this room while I'm mixing glazes?=3D20
Let's not forget my all-time favorite student - the one who just has to =3D
fling glaze all over the place, including on my work, when glazing. This =
=3D
would also be the student who "forgets" to clean up the flung glaze =3D
after finishing flinging.=3D20
I'm getting closer and closer to the point where I want my own kiln =3D
turns into I gotta have my own kiln. At that point, I'll use my own =3D
studio, cleverly disguised as the laundry room in the winter and =3D
cleverly disguised as the covered patio in the summer. What stops me =3D
from doing that today is=3D85. the kiln I want is a fully manual gas kiln. =
=3D
That requires a cement pad, a cement block wall on at least 3 sides, and =
=3D
a space between the top of the wall and the roof. We get some incredible =
=3D
wind in the desert this time of year. Unless I want to relight the kiln =3D
every hour and a half, I have to have some decent wind protection.=3D20
Deb Thuman
http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_ie=3D3D5888059
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529715986
gary navarre on sun 4 mar 12
Well Deb, it's nice to see you've gotten to the "I need my own kiln" stage.=
=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0One thing I've noticed, especially with beginners=
, is we li=3D
ked having some kind of splotch of clay on ourselves or leave our work spac=
=3D
e looking like some of those old time production potteries with a dirt (cla=
=3D
y) floor and a wheel head sticking out of a pile of slip and trimmings just=
=3D
enough to throw a pot. Covering our trousers or a throwing apron with clay=
=3D
from wiping a little at a time instead of rinsing the clay off our hands c=
=3D
ompletely as a badge of our craft ends up looking kinda silly and within a =
=3D
few minutes sloughs off dry clay dust even if we don't see it. Because I li=
=3D
ve and work in the same building I've had to limit my dust exposure as much=
=3D
as possible with more frequent trimmings pick up (after each pot) and spon=
=3D
ge wash up the floor when I drip anything. Getting students to pay attentio=
=3D
n to such details when the phone text is vibrating in their pants is not go=
=3D
nna happen.=3DC2=3DA0=3D0A=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0Good luck with the wind break. I d=
on't think I=3D
could handle a place where the wind was always blowing. Chances are you pr=
=3D
obably won't fire as often as at class because it takes a while to fill a k=
=3D
iln alone so you could time the firings for the calm season if there is one=
=3D
.=3D0A=3D0A=3DC2=3DA0=3D0AGary Navarre=3D0ANavarre Pottery=3D0ANavarre Ente=
rprises=3D0ANorw=3D
ay, Michigan, USA=3D0Ahttp://www.NavarrePottery.etsy.com=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA=
0=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3D
=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0 <...... New Pots=3D0Ahttp://www.youtube.com/GindaUP=3D0Ahtt=
p://public=3D
.fotki.com/GindaUP/=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=3D0=
A From: De=3D
borah Thuman =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG =3D0AS=
ent:=3D
Sunday, March 4, 2012 10:17 AM=3D0ASubject: [Clayart] Safety in the clay s=
tu=3D
dio=3D0A =3D0AWhat you do at home or at your own studio is your business. =
=3D0A=3D
=3D0AWhat happens in the clay studio at the university where I take my clay=
c=3D
lasses is every student's business. We never had studio safety until a few =
=3D
years ago when a student neglected to mention at the start of the semester =
=3D
that she was pregnant. She did ask later on if the chemicals in the studio =
=3D
would harm the baby. =3D0A=3D0AI've seen students use their hands to stir u=
p gl=3D
aze and slip. Um=3DE2=3D80=3DA6 if you have to wear a mask while making it,=
are y=3D
ou sure you want to stick an ungloved hand in it? I've seen unmasked studen=
=3D
ts in the glaze room using glazes while another student was mixing up a gla=
=3D
ze recipe. Um=3DE2=3D80=3DA6.. if I have to wear a mask while I'm making it=
, are =3D
you sure you want to be unmasked in this room while I'm mixing glazes? =3D0=
A=3D
=3D0ALet's not forget my all-time favorite student - the one who just has t=
o =3D
fling glaze all over the place, including on my work, when glazing. This wo=
=3D
uld also be the student who "forgets" to clean up the flung glaze after fin=
=3D
ishing flinging. =3D0A=3D0AI'm getting closer and closer to the point where=
I w=3D
ant my own kiln turns into I gotta have my own kiln. At that point, I'll us=
=3D
e my own studio, cleverly disguised as the laundry room in the winter and c=
=3D
leverly disguised as the covered patio in the summer. What stops me from do=
=3D
ing that today is=3DE2=3D80=3DA6. the kiln I want is a fully manual gas kil=
n. Tha=3D
t requires a cement pad, a cement block wall on at least 3 sides, and a spa=
=3D
ce between the top of the wall and the roof. We get some incredible wind in=
=3D
the desert this time of year. Unless I want to relight the kiln every hour=
=3D
and a half, I have to have some decent wind protection. =3D0A=3D0ADeb Thum=
an=3D
=3D0Ahttp://debthumansblog.blogspot.com=3D0Ahttp://www.etsy.com/shop.php?us=
er_i=3D
e=3D3D5888059=3D0Ahttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529=
7159=3D
86
Randall Moody on sun 4 mar 12
On Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 11:17 AM, Deborah Thuman wrote=
=3D
:
>
> I've seen students use their hands to stir up glaze and slip. Um=3D85 if =
yo=3D
u
> have to wear a mask while making it, are you sure you want to stick an
> ungloved hand in it? I've seen unmasked students in the glaze room using
> glazes while another student was mixing up a glaze recipe. Um=3D85.. if I=
h=3D
ave
> to wear a mask while I'm making it, are you sure you want to be unmasked =
=3D
in
> this room while I'm mixing glazes?
>
> Deb Thuman
> http://debthumansblog.blogspot.com
> http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_ie=3D3D5888059
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deb-Thumans-Art-Page/167529715986
>
There is nothing wrong with using ones' hands to stir certain glazes and
slips. You probably don't want to use your hands if you have an open cut or
sore on them and if the glaze has certain ingredients that would be readily
absorbed through the skin. I wear a mask when I am making a glaze so that I
don't inhale the dry materials. Since I don't breath through my hands and
the materials are n longer dry when I am stirring the slip or glaze there
is no need to wear a mask or gloves.
Yes, it makes sense that you should be wearing a mask if you are making
glazes or around someone who is making glazes. That would be a studio
procedures issue.
--=3D20
Randall in Atlanta
http://wrandallmoody.com
Eric Koenig on wed 7 mar 12
You know, when I read stuff on safety in the clay studio, often the empha=
=3D
sis=3D20
is on protective gear. But in a holistic approach to safety, personal pr=
=3D
otective=3D20
gear, e.g. respirators, gloves, et c., should be your last line of defens=
=3D
e, not=3D20
your first in terms of controlling hazards, because those items do not af=
=3D
fect=3D20
the entire environment in the way that other measures can. Obviously,=3D20=
=3D
nothing beats awareness and thinking things through, but here is a typica=
=3D
l=3D20
heirarchy for controlling hazards with the most effective being at the to=
=3D
p of=3D20
the list. Some of these examples are probably obvious, but the point is =
=3D
to=3D20
think of safety in broader terms than goggles and dust masks, and maybe=3D2=
0=3D
make it a little more systematic (if that appeals to you).
1.) Elimination: i.e., don't do it (duhhhr)
2.) Substitution: i.e., do things differently
Examples:=3D20
(Gary Navarre's example:) do a wet cleanup instead of a dry cleanup in or=
=3D
der=3D20
to avoid lofting clay and glaze dust into the air.
Substitute a different glaze formula to avoid exposure to poisonous crud.=
=3D
Get someone to help you with that unwieldy raku kiln lid while firing or =
=3D
kiln=3D20
furniture while loading.
3.) Engineering: use something beyond your protective clothing as your fi=
=3D
rst=3D20
physical line of defense.
Examples:
Use a dedicated spatula or other mixing tool to mix glazes instead of you=
=3D
r hand=3D20
whether you are wearing gloves or not.
Handle your glazes in a separate space from where everyone else is workin=
=3D
g.
Use ventilation in addition to a respirator to avoid breathing in fumes o=
=3D
r=3D20
aerosolized particles or glaze droplets.
Use a hoist to lift that raku kiln lid.
4.) Administrative: protection through training or blanket policies.
Examples:
Teach that guy who flings his glaze all over to do otherwise or in a prop=
=3D
er area=3D20
of the shop.
Limit access to equipment or toxic crud to those who are familiarized wit=
=3D
h how=3D20
to use them.
Have somebody besides the pregnant lady prepare the glazes.
5.) Personal protective equipment: stuff you wear
Examples: Gloves, masks, aprons, IR protective goggles, et c.
Well anyway, some of this stuff may be easier to implement in an institut=
=3D
ional=3D20
setting, as opposed to a shop with keyholders, for example. but I thunke=
=3D
d it=3D20
was worth mentioning. It is worth taking an active role when it comes to=
=3D
=3D20
safety.
Eric
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