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HEALTH AND SAFETY
 
Materials in General
 
It is imperative that you know about your art materials and the hazards they can pose to your health and safety.  Many artists have died from exposure to hazardous materials.
 
A list of must-read resources about how to avoid hazards and dangerous materials is at the end of this section.  Each material you use has its own properties and hazards so you should look up the specific materials that you work with. Remember, you need to be familiar with not only the materials you use but also any materials others use in your presence. If you share a studio with someone, the chemicals they use could pose a risk to you too. Take precautions before you begin working!
 
Experimental Materials
 
When making art, do not be naïve about the materials you use.  Educate yourself by speaking with experts who know the long-term properties of substances.  These people may be chemists, physicists, doctors, professors, engineers, etc. Explain to these professionals what materials you use and how you use them.  Problems may arise in terms of longevity, deterioration, chemical changes or color shifts. Consider if such changes can be strategically incorporated into the artwork with pleasing results or if they will pose a liability.
 
Always be aware of the ramifications of using ‘experimental materials’ from the perspective of a curator or buyer.  Be forthcoming about what you do/don’t know about the chemistry of your materials.
 
Work Related Heath Issues
 
Hazardous conditions and materials found in many industrial workplaces are often present in art workspaces. When hazards are identified in an industrial workplace, safety training and information may be required, but these resources are less often available to artists who work alone or in small groups.
 
If others have access to your workspace or you hire assistants, be sure to mandate safety instruction.  Data sheets on all materials should be located in your studio. These can be found on the web.  Make sure that you provide information on all materials, as well as training and protective equipment.  This is a serious matter—materials can be hazardous and fatal. ALWAYS wear eye goggles when working with hazardous materials and enforce the policy with your assistants and studio mates.
 
There are many factors other than dangerous materials that contribute to an unhealthy workplace.  If you work extended hours trying to complete a project, you may find yourself exhausted and overworked. This can lead to accidents. Do not disregard symptoms of extreme fatigue, nausea, or sickness in order to make a deadline.  Seek advice or help immediately.
 
Many art hazards may not appear dangerous at first but can lead to serious health issues over time. Do not procrastinate seeking help or you could damage your health permanently. Chronic illness resulting from exposure to harmful materials may affect your life, your ability to work, or your health.  Painters can develop neurological and other disorders from long-term solvent exposures. Musicians can develop permanent hearing loss from exposure to loud music even in specifically designed acoustic settings. Pottery artists may find that they are unable to continue work at the wheel because of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from extended work schedules or because of poisoning from glaze chemicals. If you want to be able to continue to work long into the future, take these warnings seriously.  Many chemicals never leave the body and over time accumulate to create irreversible symptoms.
 
OTHER HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Because disasters like earthquakes, floods and fires pose their own set of risks, preparation for all these events is important.
(See Insurance section for more information on floods and fires in your studio.)
 
Earthquake Preparedness for Studio
 
Take stock of your studio and consider making a few common-sense adjustments as needed.  The primary concern should be the protection of life and limb. No matter how valuable objects may be, hazards to human safety must be addressed first.
 
•  If materials are toxic or flammable, consider storing them in an appropriate storage area.  You can get flammable storage from a number of sources.
 
•  Check for items that may fall and either break or hurt someone.  Large objects on upper shelves and stacks of lumber or shelving not secured to the walls are very dangerous.
 
•  Make sure large objects cannot fall or tip over and prevent people from getting out of the studio or blocking the exit. Exit pathways must be clear and open.
 
•  Store valuable artwork and equipment so that it cannot be damaged or cause additional destruction.  Repairs can be extremely costly.
 
• Much earthquake damage can be attributed to one of these basic causes:
 
• Objects tipping over
 
• Objects colliding into other objects or surfaces
 
• Objects falling off shelves, tables, pedestals, etc.
 
Do NOT Procrastinate
 
Procrastination will hinder prevention. Take the time to reduce the risk of damage or bodily hard.  Small measures can make a big difference and are not costly.  Securing shelving to the wall so that it does not tip over or go flying across the room is a cheap solution to a big problem.
 
Put away tools in cabinets or storage areas, put caps on paint thinner etc., and keep your studio uncluttered. It may save your life.
 
Be Practical
 
Take the necessary steps to solve a problem.  If putting something away is inconvenient, then consider what needs to be stored for long or short periods of time.
 
RISK REDUCTION FOR THE STUDIO
 
Tipping Hazards
 
Take precautions:
 
•  Secure unstable items to more stable ones such as walls, pillars, or mounts, thus limiting motion.
 
•  Lower the center of gravity.
 
•  Place heavier items on lower shelves.
 
•  Lay tall things on their sides.
 
•  Place weights inside vessels.
 
•  Fasten items to a base that has a larger footprint and is thus harder to tip.
 
•  Enclose items so that they are contained in a box or other structure with a wider footprint and thus a lower center of gravity.
 
•  Allow items to slide on the surface where they are sitting as long as they are not able to slide and fall off.
 
•  Anchor small objects such as glass and glazed ceramics with dental wax, “quake” wax or silicone. (These items can be purchased at most art supply stores.) This is a very effective technique, especially when coupled with the addition of weight to lower the center of gravity. Use three to four small balls of wax on the bottom of object. Place object on substrate (shelf or pedestal) with a slight twist. Remove in same fashion to shear wax layer. Do not use on low-fire ceramics as wax can pull pieces from poorly vitrified ceramics as well as pulling gold-leaf decoration from porcelain. Wax can also migrate into unfinished surfaces.
 
Tripping Hazards
 
Tripping occurs when an object slides across a surface until it encounters a point of resistance and then trips over that obstruction. Tripping can also occur when an object has a high friction bottom that will not slide and has a center of gravity high enough to topple it. To avoid tripping of objects, follow the same steps for securing or lowering the center of gravity.
 
Collision Hazards
 
Collision damage occurs when an object slides and strikes another object or surface without tipping over.
 
• Increase bottom friction and lower center of gravity.
 
• Place padding or separators between objects. A grouping of objects (such as ceramics or glass) are best placed close together with foam, cardboard, or even folded newspaper separating them on a set of shelving that has been secured against tipping.
 
Falling Hazards
 
Objects may be damaged by falling from a shelf, workbench, or display stand. 2D work may be damaged by falling off a wall. To reduce falling objects:
 
•  Limit the availability of edges by applying a lip to a surface or stretching a light rope or bungee across the opening of a set of shelves to limit the ability of objects to fall off the shelves.
 
2D Work Hung on the Walls
 
• Secure the lower edge so that the panel cannot flap and stress the hanging attachments. “Secure-T” security fasteners will retain lower edge best, but rubberized poster adhesive putty will secure bottoms fairly well. (This is not an archival product so keep off actual art surfaces.)
 
• Upper hanging hardware must be well secured.
 
Pedestals
 
• Anchor objects with wax or a mount
 
OTHER HAZARDS IN THE STUDIO
 
Hazardous Materials
 
Flammables
 
•  Ideally all flammables should be in a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-approved steel flammables cabinet that is secured to a wall. That said, the greatest concern is with breakage and spillage, especially if those materials are in use at any given time.
 
•  Equip all storage cabinets with doors that latch.
 
•  Use boxes or plastic tubs or containers to sequester and contain the spillable contents.
 
•  Use a wheeled cart with tray type shelves to help contain any spillage as well as allow limited dislocation.
 
•  Buy materials in plastic containers whenever possible.
 
•  If you have transferred hazardous materials from their original package, make sure that the new package is labeled with its hazardous contents.
 
Gases
 
•  Gas cylinders for welding or other purposes must be secured to a wall to keep from tipping over. Even those on two-wheeled welding carts must be secured.

Caution: Gas cylinders are under high-pressure. If damaged, they can explode or become flying projectiles.

When purchasing a gas cylinder, please consult with sales staff regarding tank safety precautions.
 
Equipment and Tools
 
Large tools
 
• Secure to walls or pillars.
 
• Lower the center of gravity with weight at the bottom.
 
• Fasten base to larger footprint of plywood.
 
• Fasten base to floor.
 
• Place tool on mobile base to allow limited dislocation.
 
Small tools
 
• Store in cabinets with latching doors.
 
• Put neoprene or rubber compounds on underside of toolboxes to increase friction.
 
• Use racking system to organize and secure tools in convenient locations.
 
Lumber and awkward-sized materials
 
•  Secure items with eyebolts into wall studs at strategic intervals and nylon rope to snug up stacks.
 
•  Build storage racks to enclose and store materials. These racks must be well built and secured to a wall or pillar.
 
Paintings and Panels
 
Use same techniques as above.
 
Glass, Ceramics and Fragile Items
 
•  Place on foam-lined shelves with separators or foam cavities to isolate objects from one another.
 
•  Support rounded objects with foam to keep them from rolling.
 
•  Store objects in boxes with padding and separators.
 
MENTAL HEALTH 
 
The following will help you to keep a good outlook on your art life.
 
•  Get enough sleep.
 
•  Do not have a poverty mentality.
 
•  Do not try to do it all alone.  Find a community or kinship with other local artists to avoid isolation.
 
•  Do not stop before you start.  Get into the studio regularly.
 
•  Give back and mentor within your community.  Helping will always come back to you.
 
•  Get feedback on your work regularly from your peers not only your dealer, art consultants or exhibition submissions.
 
•  Have motivation, ambition and productivity about your practice.
 
•  Keep work/living space free of clutter.
 
•  Do not disconnect from the needs of your body.
 
•  Clear out the clutter in terms of physical space, time, mental and emotional well-being, relationships, and above all
your health.
 
•  Challenge yourself by working in collaboration.
 
Pointers
 
• Take each step as it comes.
 
• If you are already established in another occupation and you are making a change, it is advisable to do so slowly.  Think intelligently when making decisions.
 
• As an artist you will have two main roles: creating art and marketing art.  Understand where one ends and the other begins.
 
•  Challenges come with every endeavor.  When you come up against one, tackle it with wisdom.  Understand whether the challenge is personal or professional.
 
•  Competition is part of the art world no matter what you are doing. Think of it as making progress toward your goals.  There is a space for everyone. Know where your own space is.
 
•  Understand when your personal life needs to take priority. You will need the energy to make your business thrive.  If your personal life is in chaos, it will be hard for your professional life to take a different path.
 
•  It is a good idea to understand what kind of investments you can make in your career—such as time, money and labor—in order to reach your goals.
 
•  Get the support of your family and friends.  Be sure they understand what it is you need to do and how they continue to fit into your life. Do not neglect those who are important to you.
 
POST-EXHIBITION BLUES
 
Most artists get depressed after an exhibition.  Be aware of depression and take steps to avoid it or to alleviate it.  Below are common expectations:
 
• Exposure in a public and professional context.
 
• Pride at having friends and relatives acknowledge an important part of who you are.
 
• Hearing strangers talk about your work (for better or for worse).
 
• Getting a review.
 
• Selling your work—selling out a show as an ultimate goal.
 
• Exposure to and recognition from important collectors, critics and curators.
 
• Recognition from another gallery.
 
Avoiding Post-Exhibition Blues
 
• Take a trip/vacation immediately after the opening.
 
• Schedule meeting times at the gallery with friends to allow yourself the opportunity to talk about the work with a receptive listener.
 
• Put out a guest book and encourage comments on your work.
 
• Start a new series of work before the work for the show is removed from your studio, or keep a favorite piece behind in order to inspire you to create a new series.

 RESOURCES
 
•  The College Art Association’s CAA News has an excellent issue, Volume 29, No. 4, July, 2004.  It has detailed articles and lots of resources.
 
• Thomas Ouimet’s Safety Guide for Art Studios, United Educators Insurance. www.ue.org
 
• The Environmental Virtual Campus (EVC) web site www.c2e2.org/evc/ArtIndex.html includes best practices for the artist’s studio and lists ways to protect you from hazards.
 
• Michael McCann’s Art Safety Procedures: A Health and Safety Manual for Art Schools and Art Departments.  www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/harts/index.html
 
• Each material has a Material Safety Data Sheet.  You can usually get this from the supplier of the material or by calling or writing the company.  Keep these sheets in a binder in your studio for quick reference.
 
• OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Act passed in 1970.  It is also the Federal agency that issues standards on health and safety.  Information can be found on their Web site at www.osha.gov.
 
Arts, Crafts, and Theater Safety (ACTS) offers the only worldwide free art-and-theater-hazards information service providing health and safety counseling for art workers; professional safety, ventilation and industrial hygiene advice; educational materials; an extensive technical library; and referrals to physicians and other professional sources. 
 
Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety
181 Thompson St., #23
New York, NY 10012
212/777-0062
ACTSNYC@cs.com
www.artscraftstheatersafety.org
http://craftemergency.org   
 
The Art and Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI) is a nonprofit association of manufacturers of art, craft and other creative materials. Since 1940, ACMI has sponsored a certification program for art materials certifying that these products are nontoxic and meet voluntary standards of quality and performance. Their web site offers lots of valuable information about the safety of artists' materials.
 
The Arts and Creative Materials Institute, Inc.
PO Box 479
Hanson, MA 02341
781/293-4100
www.acminet.org
 
• You can find numerous sources on the Web for your particular practice as well as a number of publications.