Ceramics
ID | Ceramics Tech | Inhalation Hazard | Ingestion Hazard | Skin Contact Hazard | Other Hazards | Precautions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | MIXING DRY CLAY | Highly hazardous. Inhalation of large amounts of powdered clay, China clay, asbestos, sand, perlite, grog, and vermiculite can cause silicosis. | No significant hazard, except Asbestos | No significant hazard | Amputation hazard from clay mixer, back problems from heavy lifting. | Buy premixed clay; use local exhaust ventilation, respirator; wet mop/vacuum; wear special clothes (coveralls); don't use talcs w/asbestos; use machine guards |
2 | HANDLING WET CLAY | Molds, powders, dust hazard | Drying of hands | Wheel work: Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, back problems, kickwheel can cut. | Wear gloves if necessary; use skin cream; rest wrists; use standup wheel/adjust height; be careful with moving parts; wet mop clay; don't pulverize dry clay; finish green ware while damp; wear respirator | |
3 | GLAZES | Lead highly toxic, barium, lithium fluxes highly toxic | Lead highly toxic | Lead-safe doesn't mean lead-free, copper w/lead can cause lead poisoning | Use lead-free glazes; if you must use lead glazes, don't make vessels that can be used for eating or drinking; drill a hole in the pot; if you use lead, make sure the pottery states so | |
4 | Ceramic Colorants | Antimony, barium, cobalt, lead, lithium, manganese, vanadium high | Antimony, arsenic, chromium, vanadium, nickel moderately toxic | Arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium VI, nickel, uranium carcinogenic | Don't use known carcinogens; avoid probable carcinogens | |
5 | Preparing Glazes | Toxic, Silica highly haz., dust haz. | Toxic | Soda ash, potassium carbonate, feldspars, fluorspar irritating | Use ventilation; wear respirator; clean up all spills; wear gloves; wet mop spilled glaze materials | |
6 | Applying Glaze | Spraying hazard, solvent-based glazes hazard. | Glaze materials hazardous | Dipping, pouring, brushing are haz. w/skin irritants | Solvent-based glazes flammable | Spray in spray booth exhausted to outside & explosion proof; wear respirator; use exhaust fan; use good hygiene; wear gloves; wear special clothes; collect & combine scrap glazes to use again |
7 | KILN FIRING | Chlorine, fluorine, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone highly toxic | Fluorine can cause bone & teeth problems; kilns cause burns, infrared radiation | Lead and other metal fumes vaporize; carbon monoxide can be produced from kilns; ventilate kilns directly outside; keep kilns in separate room; wear infrared goggles or hand-held welding shields (1.7-3.0 shade); avoid lead | ||
8 | Electric Kilns | Toxic gases | Heat can cause fires, even 1 ft. away; kiln doesn't shut down by itself | Use ventilation; surround kiln w/ fireproof curtains; test commercial canopy hoods; use direct exhaust system for octagonal kilns; don't store combustible materials nearby; place kiln away from floor,wall; have 2 shutoffs | ||
9 | Fuel-Fired Kilns | Carbon Monoxide haz. | Heat generated; natural gas & propane haz.; kiln chimneys not high enough | Put carbon monoxide alarm in area where indoor kilns are; gas lines should be installed by professionals, and have regulators; shut off gas and power if gas leak suspected; have bigger canopy hoods; make chimneys high enough | ||
10 | Salt Glazing | Hydrogen chloride gas highly toxic | Hydrochloric acid can corrode metal fittings | Use sodium carbonate instead of sodium chloride; sodium chloride should only be used outside, with canopy hood and high chimney; check for corrosion of metal | ||
11 | Raku Firing | Smoke & carbon monoxide haz. | Gas kiln hazards; preservatives in wood highly toxic | Only do Raku outside, but not near air intakes of buildings or open windows; don't use materials treated w/preservatives or pesticides | ||
12 | HAZARDS OF FINAL PRODUCT | |||||
13 | Lead | Those that don't pass leaching test must specify "Not for Food Use-May Poison Food. For Decorative Purposes Only;" drill hole in pottery; don't use lead glazes; you can test for lead leaching using home kits | ||||
14 | Other Leachable Materials | Lead, barium, cadmium haz. | Use only glazes w/calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium fluxes, and minimize amounts. of toxic metal colorants; test finished ware for leaching of toxic metals; be careful w/cadmium and barium |