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Good morning.

 

My husband, Koos recently installed a new air-con in my studio and we discovered that the electrical wire to the plugs were not on standard. He had to fix that.

 

Other hazards in a studio that I have from time to time is silica dust, which I control as good as I can. I also have mold that will grow when my studio is closed for long periods of time. The obvious thing is to control water and moisture, which is harder to do when there is wet soft clay in the studio. 

 

I work with gloves when I handle raw materials and when I glaze, something that I did not do all my life, but with age comes some wisdom ( I hope.....)

 

The other crucial piece of equipment that I use when spray glazing is a mask - Hepa filter......I need a new so I will need advice about the best available on the market today. 

 

I would like to hear what you do to stay safe in your studio. 

 

Thanks

Antoinette Badenhorst

www.porcelainbyAntoinette.com

www.Teachinart.com

  

 

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Like you I wear disposable latex gloves when I work with materials or glaze.  I use to by them at Harbor Freight but they don't carry the latex one anymore so I have to order them.  I also wear a paper mask when I do anything that creates dust like mixing glazes,  I buy these flat ones from Harbor freight that come 50 for $5, they are cheap enough I can use them and then toss them.   Denice

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Silica dust is carcinogenic, try to avoid breathing any clay or glaze materials particulates whenever possible.

 

Some things that come to mind for general studio safety:

- Cheap disposable or reusable chemical gloves for glaze handling and misc hand-protection needs.

- Chem goggles/eye protection for cleaning out glaze containers or flying debris from chipping/grinding fired glaze.

- CMC gum in glazes to keep glaze from powdering off when transferring glazed work to kiln.

- Particulate-rated NIOSH respirator for general studio use.  I like 3M N95 8210 particulate respirator.  Use 8011s if you have a small face.  You can get higher filtering, but they are hard to breath through IMO.

- Leather gloves for handling hot wares from kiln, sharp edges of wares stuck to kiln shelves, etc.

- Try NOT to dry sweep, use wet-cleanup methods whenever practical.  Sponge it down, mop it.

- If dry sweeping use a respirator, provide ventilation, use floor sweeping compound if you have it.

- Obtain MSDS info on any chemicals you have in your studio and ACTUALLY READ IT so you know how to handle, transport or dispose of your material, etc.

- Clean up studio daily.

 

In regards to your mold issue, I dunno what to do there.  Sounds like your studio is too well sealed.  You may consider some sort of ventilation for the room.  Also, I don't know how you store your wet clay or wet in-progress work, but try to isolate it with plastic or store it somehow so the moisture doesn't raise the whole room's humidity.

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Thank you for the responses. Denise if you have a Sams club close by, you may find the purple ones in double packs there. Decent price.

LOL Dirt poor!

 

perkolator: 

 

I agree with all you are saying. Many years ago I had a clay factory. 20 people working for me at the time. You can imaging 20 people making dust. It was before the days that we were so aware of silicosis. At the time we used a spray bottle to dampen the floor before sweeping it. These days I use a shop vac and sweep the floor with a wet mop. 

I have to check on the mask you mention. As I mentioned, mine needs replacement and I never liked the one I have. 

Of cause if you do spray glazing, the place where you spray must either have a good spray booth ( mind needs to be installed) or you must spray in a well ventilated ( in my case outdoors) area. I forgot to mention that I stepped up with eye protection; these days I use goggles that I guess was used for skiing or something in that regard. It has some foam around it that "seals" my eyes in. If you ever had glaze dust in your eyes, you will appreciate this remark.  

 

LOL Joseph! Yes, it is one of those unavoidable things in a studio. My clay is very aged and often moldy. I just wonder at what stage is mold in a studio unacceptable. 

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Guest JBaymore

Like you I wear disposable latex gloves when I work with materials or glaze.  I use to by them at Harbor Freight but they don't carry the latex one anymore so I have to order them.  I also wear a paper mask when I do anything that creates dust like mixing glazes,  I buy these flat ones from Harbor freight that come 50 for $5, they are cheap enough I can use them and then toss them.   Denice

 

The paper ones are not really what you want.  You want a half face respirator with p-100 / HEPA filters.  Look into something called the "Protection Factor" when it comes to respirators.  It is not JUST about the filter TYPE.  To select the correct mask... you need to do a computation that involves the actual exposure level, the filter effectiveness, and the protection factor of the respirator unit.  Then you have to compare to the PEL/TLV for the material.  For silica... the PEL/TLV is quite low.

 

And the mask must seal.  Fit testing is crucial.

 

The paper type masks are only appropriate if you KNOW the exposure level you have to deal with.  To do that you have to do typical air sampling.  Since most folks don't know that...... you have to assume it is high (unless you are a gambler).

 

best,

 

................john

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I use a air  filter circulator that has 3 filters the 2nd one is a hepa filter that moves the whole studio air about 12 times an hour. I also use a central vacuum system that resides outside with a hepa filter bag that first goes thru a oneida cyclonic dust removal tank.. This system is a dream as its studio dust and noise free. Yes I use latex gloves every week with all glazing.

I have used the gloves for a few decades now and had the air filter about that long as well-the central vac went in this past spring and has changed the way I clean as its snap to use every day.

Here is a few photos of the units outside on wall of studio.

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post-8914-0-03044000-1474524767_thumb.jpg

post-8914-0-03626900-1474524738_thumb.jpg

post-8914-0-03044000-1474524767_thumb.jpg

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Agree with you John. The one that I currently use is a NIOSH 6001 3m, but it's cartridge is also for vapors. an overkill I think. Can one find cartridges without the carbon filter? It is also heavy on my face, and particularly my nose. 

Another question: do you think I can place it under a tap and wash thoroughly if I take the cartridges off?  I always just wiped it off, because of that front nossl- thingy. 

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Mark, it is fantastic if it is possible to have a system as you describe. My system at best is fans on the ceiling and an open door, mops and awarenes. LOL. I wonder if there is a point that we worry too much. ( also a way to kill ourselves!) I grew up in  Namibia and lived for periods of my life in the Namib desert. The wind can kick up sand storms to where you cannot keep it out of your mouth and between your teeth. That is silica in it's raw pure best!

That being said, I do not advocate careless approaches to the use of raw materials, but rather a responsible approach and not one to what I so often see these days: fear for raw materials. During workshops I always warn my students that bananas are very dangerous: you can slip on the peel and you can choke on a bite! So eat responsibly!....not playing yous system down; I think it is fantastic, but just trying to make a very heavy subject somewhat lighter.  :rolleyes:  :rolleyes:  :rolleyes:

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@ you wonderfully learned and respected heavy hitters out there...some comments (ex. "To select the correct mask... you need to do a computation that involves the actual exposure level, the filter effectiveness, and the protection factor of the respirator unit.  Then you have to compare to the PEL/TLV for the material. " just sends me into a tailspin of horror :P at my meager means and dinky little bedroom studio!! I know it is crucial for health and craft, but the spendoolies and some technical processes are just not attainable for some.

 

One can only hope & pray that low production,low traffic & low volume of substances, does translate to lower the dust/other hazards, compared to set-ups the professionals have in bigger studio environments. I got my respirator per John's basic info, from a tools-for-women site (Charming something), with the right filter and it has a perfect fit, so I am a happy camper, even without being able to do any kind of exposure
 

"computation"...especially since the very word evokes math/chemistry PTSD symptomatology.   :wacko: 

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Guest JBaymore

Lee,

 

The point of my bringing that (above) up is that the details of this are actually complicated.  So lacking the ability, technical or financial or both, to deal with that stuff....... one is well served to go by "best practices" in the field. 

 

Best practices  in the studio ceramic field (unless you KNOW the appropriate technical information) is a half face respirator that fits (they come in sizes and even tailored for typical male/female faces), with a P-100/HEPA filter for toxic dusts and mists. 

 

Note that this above filter does not deal with organic compounds, acid and basic mists, truly toxic gases, and stuff like solvents. So if you also use those (liquid lusters would be included here), you need to "stack" filters.  The P-100 layer then goes on the outside to prevent the dust from clogging the chemical filter.

 

If you look above at the page on the respirator that SDean links toabove....... in the second paragraph it lightly alludes to the computation stuff  that I mentioned above with its reference to the actual PEL of the environment in which the mask is used.  In legal employment settings... these factors become important for complying with OSHA laws.

 

And yes..... the lighter your working exposure... the lighter the potential concerns. 

 

best,

 

...................john

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Guest JBaymore

Agree with you John. The one that I currently use is a NIOSH 6001 3m, but it's cartridge is also for vapors. an overkill I think. Can one find cartridges without the carbon filter? It is also heavy on my face, and particularly my nose. 

Another question: do you think I can place it under a tap and wash thoroughly if I take the cartridges off?  I always just wiped it off, because of that front nossl- thingy. 

 

Antoinette,

 

Yes... there are just straight P-100 / HEPA filters available.  Lots of online suppliers of safety equipment. The chemical carbon filter is doing nothing for you for the dusts except helping to empty your wallet.  So unless you are using solvents and stuff like lusters, it is also only making it a bit harder to breathe.  

 

Yes.... you can usually carefully wash the whole thing (minus filter cartridges) in warm soapy water.  Dry it well, and be careful of any mechanical "flappy" parts that control which way the air is flowing when you inhale and exhale.  And for storage, keep them in a sealed plastic bag AFTER washing the mask after use and letting the filters dry out from a bit of exhaled moisture.   Only dry stuff goes into the sealed bag.... unless you like to add molds to your list of possible exposures ;) .

 

The P-100 filters do not go "bad" over time.  But the chemical ones DO.  So exposure to air slowly kills their effectiveness.  The sealed plastic bags helps with that too.

 

After the "bad" comment above....... an important note I'd like to mention here is also that the P-100 filters do not slowly let more stuff get thru as they age.  Quite the opposite.  The filters "fail" by plugging up and letting less and less stuff thru.  Like ..... air.  SO when you notice that you are JUST starting to feel a little resistance to breathing or find that you get a little out of breath for a certain exertion level compared to "normal".... time to change the filters.

 

best,

 

......................john

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My air circulators a Delta but Jet makes them as well.Many are 3 speed.

you can mount them on the ceiling or hang them lower.

Bailey ceramics also has them and they are a bit more spendy

I have adapted my delta by adding a heap filter to the front with a cheap disposable filter in front of that one.

You can either tape these on or fabricate a box in front to hold them.

This filter moves all studio air thru it about 12 times per hour of more depending on your sq footage.

 

My central vac has ended and sweeping for me . I still should mop some but I hate mopping-I vacuum almost daily as it picks up everything from dust to trimmings.

I'm in my 1st 6 months with this system so I can say about every 3 months it needs new  vac bag but I produce a lot and a normal studio may go a lot longer. I tend to suck trimmings as well as glaze powders every week-I also use it on my grinder outside and any thing dusty I can find.The 10 gallon can is about 1/2 full every 3 months and weighs a ton as the powder is so compact. This is in a plastic bag and goes into the trash if I can lift it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

OOOH that central vacuum system is on my wish-list to add to the studio!  So want an outlet in every room for easy cleanup!  Imagine being able to push floor sweepings toward a flap that will take it all away....

 

On the subject of filters....the P/N-100 is a great filter, probably one of the best ones you can get but from what I was told by my EH&S Respirator Fit Tester, they are not for all types of users vs something like an P/N-95 which most people are comfortable using for their task.  The reason is because it takes more lung strength to draw air through them (since they filter better, duh) - so I guess those with any health compromise, older age, or whatever it is might struggle during an extended work period wearing the device.  If you're using it for a short time you'll likely be fine.  The N-95 still filters out 95% of the bad stuff....  Also, I remember you used to be able to buy "dust masks" at Home Depot, now when you buy one (I want to say ever since 9-11 when ppl were wearing lots of respirators in the aftermath) they're all N-95s and you cannot even buy a "nuisance mask" anymore since we've accepted that better filtration is healthier and it's kinda now the minimum standard.

 

Your exposure limit is entirely dependent on how you handle your materials.  If you're dropping dry powdered clay/glaze materials from 1ft off the ground you'll have a different exposure than dropping it from 6ft off the ground obviously...Or if you never sweep your studio and like to stand/walk on a weeks worth of clay trimmings, which crush up and go airborne... Anyways, I have personally gone through air monitoring, using lapel and respirator particulate monitoring device in studio to see whether we need to make a "requirement" for wearing them in studio.  This was for mixing clay from dry powder on our mixers which we load at chest-level, making glazes and slip for about an hour and dry sweeping a 6000sq ft studio without sweeping compound.  The finding was that our particulate level was below the OSHA numbers for making respirators a requirement. Keep in mind that OSHA is figuring this level based on an 8hr work day, much more than your hobbyist doing a task 4x a year for an hour... 

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As to clay trimmings-I put them in a bucket right after trimming( I trim large amounts of wares all at once in a trim session) when they are still damp and dump it in a covered trash can at that moment.Its usually a 5 gallon bucket worth of wet trimmings. Then I vacuum with the central vac the left over ones that fall behind the gather process right then as they just suck up the 2.5 inch line just fine with a small nozzle on the end of 4 feet of hard pipe. Zero dust no sweeping.Alo I just vac the area around as well. Since the noise is near zero as the unit is outside and the hose is uncoiled I usually just vac the studio as well. Its a near daily deal now as its so easy. No more sweeping or mopping.

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Guest JBaymore

 The finding was that our particulate level was below the OSHA numbers for making respirators a requirement. Keep in mind that OSHA is figuring this level based on an 8hr work day, much more than your hobbyist doing a task 4x a year for an hour... 

 

This kind of finding is typical of the places that I have seen and had monitored.  BUT..... and this is the problem with ASSUMPTIONS.......... for people to assume that THEIR situation matches up to other's is a mistake with potential health consequences.  So much depends on circumstances that are variables that affect outcomes, that you simply can't generalize broadly.

 

Air sampling is NOT all that costly.... when compared to the potential health issues.  Then you KNOW.

 

Once the typical exposure levels are actually known... you can then calculate the appropriate protection factor and filter that might be needed.  Or even if ANY respirator is needed.  The issue in 99% of the clay studios I've ever seen........ the generated levels for various activities in their specific spaces are not known.

 

So then the question becomes...........  "Is the gun loaded or not?"  How that conundrum gets answered is where the rubber meets the road.

 

And then there is the circumstances involved.  If it is a private studio.... the answer to that question is only affecting yourself (but also maybe you family members).  If it is a more communal setting...... the answer affects others also.  How does THAT weigh in for potential decisions/recommendations?

 

Likely the potential issues for most 'hobby potters' are pretty slight .  Of more concern is full time pros who typically do not work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year .   (The "model" for most occupational health studies.)  Many pros actually work MORE than that.  So how does that figure in?

 

Complex subject.  For all........ do some research into some primary sources....and then make a decision about what you are going to do.

 

best,

 

...............john

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As to clay trimmings-I put them in a bucket right after trimming( I trim large amounts of wares all at once in a trim session) when they are still damp and dump it in a covered trash can at that moment.Its usually a 5 gallon bucket worth of wet trimmings. Then I vacuum with the central vac the left over ones that fall behind the gather process right then as they just suck up the 2.5 inch line just fine with a small nozzle on the end of 4 feet of hard pipe. Zero dust no sweeping.Alo I just vac the area around as well. Since the noise is near zero as the unit is outside and the hose is uncoiled I usually just vac the studio as well. Its a near daily deal now as its so easy. No more sweeping or mopping.

Soooooo jealous! I want this vac for my house as well as studio! What is the equivalent sound level on the outside, from the cabinet? Garbage disposal? Vacuum cleaner? Shop Vac? Lawn Mower?

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It is quieter than all those as its in a cabinet  outside on the wall. We have one for the house as well-it lives in a water heater /solar hot water shed on side of house which also houses a water calcine unit and an 80 gallon solar water tank and a whole house hot water circulator smart pump.That shed is rather complex,

The studio vac will not last as long as the house vac as the silica will get into the motor and kill it over time. The house vac has been working for 25-30 years now.

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