GENERAL INFORMATION
Glass Artists use a variety of chemicals and materials that can be harmful. Always know the toxicity of chemicals and materials you are working with and how to protect yourself.
SAFETY DATA SHEETS
Best source of information about a chemical is the SDS:
- Safety Data Sheet (also known as Material Safety Data Sheets)
- Must be provided by the manufacturer
- Not all SDSs are of good quality! Look for SDSs from major manufacturers. Make sure they are recent (<5 years).
- Manufacturers in most countries are required to provide a SDS with their products or provide one upon request.
Where to find SDSs on the Internet:
- Check the chemical manufacturer's website
- Check the chemical distributor's website
- Google the chemical name and/or manufacturer
A SDS will provide you with information about the product:
- Hazardous Ingredients
- Physical & Chemical Data
- Fire/Explosion
- Health Hazard Data
- Route of Exposure
- Exposure Control
- Personal Protective Equipment
Time Weighted Average (TWA) example:
Rarely is exposure consistent throughout the day. Let’s say you are working in your studio for 8 hours grinding glass and exposure varies throughout the day. The graph shows times of high exposure and low exposure. There are even two times that the exposure was higher than the OEL. The exposures throughout the day are averaged and the Time Weighted Average is determined.
For this example the OEL = 10 mg/m3 and the Time Weighted Average – 3.2 mg/m3, so actual exposure is below OEL.
RULE OF THUMB
The HIGHER the OEL, the LESS toxic the material
The LOWER the OEL, the MORE toxic the material
What is the route of exposure?
- You can inhale dusts or chemical vapors or metal fumes (respiratory)
- you can be exposed to some chemicals through the skin (dermal)
- you can ingest toxic materials (example, not observing good hygiene when working with lead)
How is exposure measured?
- Depends on what you are trying to measure
- Most dusts are collected on a filter attached to a sampling pump
- Organic chemicals can be collected on a passive dosimeter
- There are direct reading instruments for some gases
Controlling Exposure:
Substitution (best method):
- Replace toxic with less toxic or eliminate exposure
Engineering Controls:
- Ventilate the area – fans, point source ventilation
- Wet Methods to control dust
Personal Protective Equipment:
- Respirators, ear plugs, gloves, protective clothing
Administrative Controls (worse method):
- Spread the exposure out over time
- Employee rotation
