Critical Vocabulary and Examples
This section will give additional information for those wishing to better understand the Hazards and Precautions one should heed to avoid exposure. Again this is not a meant to be a complete guide. First to be addressed are Hazards then Precautions
I. HAZARDS
Hazards are to be avoided at every opportunity. This section will help to further
define what some hazards are and the terminology used to describe them.
A. Risk Factors are measures used to better determine/define your exposure to a certain hazardous material.
Some examples of risk factors:
Amount of exposure
Length of exposure
Exposure conditions
Toxicity
Total body burden
Multiple exposures
High risk group
B. High Risk Groups are sub populations who are very vulnerable to exposure to hazardous materials.
Some Examples of High Risk Groups:
Children
Disabled including those with HIV/AIDS
Smokers
Heavy Drinkers
Elderly
People taking medications
People who are sickly
Pregnant women
Some Examples of High Risk Groups:
Hearing Impairment
Epilepsy
Emotional disturbance/problems
Physical Impairment
Asthma and other allergies
Other health impairments
C. Routes of Entry are the ways in which a hazardous material can enter your body:
Skin contact and absorption
Inhalation
Ingestion
Injection
D. There are various types of diseases that can be caused by exposure to hazardous materials. This section will list some of those diseases and is not meant to be a conclusive list. For example long term exposure to some hazardous materials can cause many different types of cancer.
Diseases are often broken down into three types:
Acute (severe)
Chronic- (long duration or frequent recurrence)
Acute chronic (?)
E. In this section, diseases caused by exposure to hazardous materials are broken down according to area of the body they effect. Again this is not a conclusive list.
Skin Diseases:
Irritant dermatitis
Allergic dermatitis
Skin cancer
Eye Diseases:
Conjunctivitis
Cornea damage
Cataracts
Blindness
Acute Respiratory Diseases:
Chemical pneumonia (pulmonary edema)
Acute bronchitis
Asthma and "hay fever"
Hypersensitivity pneumonia
Metal fume fever
Chronic Respiratory Diseases:
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema
Pulmonary fibrosis: silicosis, asbestosis
Respiratory cancer
Heart and Circulatory System Diseases:
Heart and muscle damage
Arrhythmias
Anemias and bone marrow damage
Kidney and Bladder Diseases:
Heat stress
Chemical damage to kidneys
Bladder cancer
Liver Diseases:
Hepatitis
Liver cancer
Nervous System Diseases:
Narcosis
Enceplalopathy- brain damage
Oxygen starvation
Nervous system damage (from heavy metals)
Peripheral neuopathy (from solvents)
Remember that Reproductive System Damage can occur at several stages from exposure to hazardous materials:
Prior to pregnancy
During pregnancy
After pregnancy
II. PRECAUTIONS.
This section will give you some precautions to follow that may help limit
your exposure to hazardous materials.
A. Basic Precautions one should heed when working with hazardous materials:
Know your materials
Substitution
Have good ventilation
Know proper storage and handling
Wear personal protective equipment
Have regular medical check-up
Make sure that you have the proper fire extinguisher, first AID kit and list of emergency contact numbers and personal contact numbers in a visible and easy to reach area(s).
B. Substitution
Use the least toxic chemical/material or process.
Use water-based products instead of solvent-based.
Avoid carcinogens
C. Ventilation
Research what type of ventilation you will need for your studio.
Two types to beware of: Dilution or general ventilation and Local exhaust ventilation.
Some example of Local Exhaust Ventilation:
Hoods
Ducts
Fans
Air Cleaners
D. Rules for good ventilation:
Use local exhaust ventilation
Provide adequate make-up air
Make sure you have the correct "directed flow of air"
100% exhaust to the outside
Make sure that you have the correct location(s) of the air intakes
Regular maintenance of your ventilation system
E. Storage and Handling of Hazardous Materials
Make sure you are using the correct:
Safe storage procedures
Fire prevention procedures
Method of handling the chemicals
Work practices and hygiene
Spill control procedures
Waste disposal procedures
F. Some Safe Storage Tips:
Always keep small quantities of hazardous materials in your studio
Have the correct types and location of the containers
Label your containers
Know the chemical incompatibility of your materials
G. Fire Extinguisher Tips
Make sure you have the correct fire extinguisher(s) in your studio
Make sure they are in the proper location
Make sure you have had the proper training to use the extinguisher
Make sure you are well trained in Fire emergency procedures (regarding your hazardous materials.
H. Tips on handling chemicals
Always cover containers
Make sure you are using the correct gloves for the chemicals you are using and keep them in separate glove boxes. Replace gloves when they start to wear!!!!
Transfer powders carefully
Pour liquids carefully
I. Work Practices and Hygiene
No smoking, eating or drinking in work areas
Wear separate work clothes
If possible have eye wash fountains on site or at least know how to clean your eyes
Have emergency showers on site
Always remember to wash up
J. Housekeeping
Do not sweep hazardous materials
Wet mopping is one method to use
Vacuum cleaners/wet vacs are other ways to clean up materials
K. Large Spills of Flammable Liquids-What to do
Shut off all flames
Call the fire department
Shut off power form the outside
Open windows
Evacuate room and building
Clean up spill with proper procedures and or have a clean up company do it
L. Waste disposal procedures
Research local waste disposal companies
Do not pour solvents down the sink
Research the aqueous liquids (ie liquids with water in them) and if you can pour them down the sink.
M. Types of Personal Protective Equipment
Gloves
Face and eye protection
Hearing protection
Protective clothing
Respirators
N. Respiratory Protection
Know the types of respirators
Make sure they are approved by NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health)
Have replacement cartridges and filters
Do fit testing
Makes sure you regularly clean and maintenance your respirator
Know the medical limitations of your respirator
O. Medical Check-ups
Tell your doctor that you are working with hazardous materials as well as:
Keep a list of all activities which you are involved in.
Know the composition of your materials.
Provide the physician with the Materials Safety Data Sheets (M.S.D.S.) obtained from the manufacturer or labels from the materials
Keep a log of recent exposures.
To figure out what course of action to take, doctors need to know all the materials you have been working with.Make sure that you have access to a doctor who is trained in Occupational health hazards
P. Some types of Medical Tests you should be aware of when using hazardous materials:
Blood lead tests
Other chemical tests (there are many)
Lung function tests and chest x-rays
Other tests (to many more to list!)
