Techno Tip

Dealing With Dust in Ceramics: a significant health hazard

Indoor air pollution of all types is comsid-
ered one of the most important health
hazards of our time. ‘The dramatic nse in
the incidence of asthma is said to be evi-
dence of this, Ceramic arts, crafts, produc-
tion and lab testing can generate a lot of
dust if itis not managed properly. Cerampc
educational programs are coming under
increased scrutiny because of dust con-
cerns, Most of the following suggestions
will greatly reduce your exposure to dust;
taken together they should make your
workplace safe.

Red herrings and the real enemy

The main enemy is smaller silicosis-caus-
ing quartz particles in the minus | micron
range. These are small enough to penetrate
into and clog the air pockets in your lungs.
These particles stay airborne for days.

* The type of clay you are using 1% not
usually an issue, any typical ceramic clay
makes silica dust when walked on.

* Glaze muterials are sometimes called
‘chemicals’ but it is more correct to call
most of them minerals. Very few are
soluble; most are simply ground rock.
While some glaze ingredients are sorme-
what toxic in different ways, most are not
hazardeus from an ingestion point-of-
view.

* Wearing a dust mask only during dust
generating activity in a closed area does
not recognize the fact that the fine dust
will stay in the air for the rest of the day
or longer,

* Getting an air filter while maintaining
bad habits will only marginally improve
air quality.

Install or get

* Install a dust hood on the wall at the
table you will use for dust generating ac-
ivities. Use a simple sheet metal box with
slots and a. connected pipe or drier hose to
an exhaust fan that expels dust outside
(exhaust fans are simply fans that install
in-line in a heating pipe). The fan must be
powerful enough so that you can see the
dust moving away from you. There must
be a source of incoming clean air else-
where in the studio or lab.

January 203

by Tony Hansen
* A gock! sink with hot and cold water
draining to a floor or portable sump is a
must so that water can be used effectively
to clean up,

* Have a smooth easy-to-clean floor that
can be hosed down to a floor drain or
effectively mopped (existing rooms can
be modified by raising the floor a Little to
slope toward a drain).

* Have lots of large sponges (in good
condition) and water buckets around for
cleaning work tables, counters, wheels,
and small floor areas, etc, Use two clean
sponges (the first sponge to get the mess
and the second to remove the residuc).

* Install tables with wheels and don’t put
anything under them. Wheel them out of
the way to clean the floor.

* Install a central-vac unit outdoors with
inside pipes and hoses, Locate outlets con-
vermently and make hoses easy to eet at
and set up.

* Get plastic containers with lids for dry
material storage (you can get 10-galion
plastic containers from restaurants). Get a
two-wheel hand-truck so you can move
these easily when they are full.

* Install a HEPA (high efficiency
particulate arresting) circulating air-filter.
These devices either use filters or electro-
staticfelectronic methods. Try searching
for “HEPA air filter’ on a search engine to
find sites like www airpurifiers.com

* Sel up 4 positive ventilation system;
that is, a way for air to get in and a fan to
push it out at the other end of the work
area. The Onentation should be such that
the direction of dust travel is away from
working arcas.

* Create work areas dedicated to specitic
tasks: clay storage and processing, glaz-
ing, testing. throwing, trimming, slab roll-
ing, clay fabrication, library, etc. Deal
with cust a appropriate in cach area.

« If possible, use a separate building, not
the building where you live and sleep,

* You can get ventilation tables
(ie, search for ‘dust’ in the store at
axner.com) that provide localized air re-
moval.

Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter

Habits to change:

* Work cleaner, be dust-sman, Keep
scraps off the float, pick up crumbs before
they are Walked on, sponge Up spills right
away, spread plastic film on the floor for
easy clean-up after messy jobs. Don't gen-
erate as much dust; catch it at the time of
generation. Por example, don’t just dump
dry clay into a glaze or clay mixer; put itin
gently so less dust raises, Be more patient.

* Pick up all crumbs before they get
walked on.

* Clean at the end of the day so dust

generated during cleaning can settle out
overnight,

* If you have to place your face in the
dust, de mot inhale until you are back in
clean air.

* Handle unloading of dry materials and
pulling into lidded containers outdoors.

* Launder clay clothing often, Remove

clay shoes and clothes when entering your
house.

* Dusting and sweeping puts the danger-
ous fine particles into the air. Silicosis-
size dust goes right through vacuum bags.
Heating and air conditioning systems can
circulate dust to other areas as well,

Other Suggestions:

* Use a base glaze with variations ap-
proach to minimize the number of materi-
als you need to store to maintain a selec-
tion of glazes with different colors. opaci-
ties, vaniegations and surface textures,

* Avoid tog many shelves that gather
dust.

«Good: When using a power mixer
Place it between you and the exhaust fan.
If the mixing is done in the working room,
do it at the end of the day so airborne chast
settles, Better: Provide an outdoor area or
a separate and properly ventilated room
for clay mixing. Best: Buy your clay
premixed and pugged.

* Work wet; Don't sandpaper without a
device to suck away the dust. Smooth it by
sponging or spray a mist of water on first
(if his does not detrimentally affect the
surface). cominued on page ft

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