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Arts Safety – Sculpture/Metal Shop Safety

Many artists work with traditional sculptural materials including plaster, stone, lapidary, clay, wax, and modeling materials. See Ceramics for information on some other sculpting media.

Things to Consider

Plaster and Plaster Molds

Plaster can be carved, modeled, and casted. Varieties of plaster include: Plaster of Paris, casting plaster, white art plaster, molding plaster, and Hydrocal. These are all varieties of calcined gypsum, composed of calcium sulfate. Mold releases used with plaster include vaseline, tincture of green soap, auto paste wax, silicone-grease, and mineral oil-petroleum jelly. In waste molding, the plaster mold is chipped away.

Hazards
  1. Plaster dust (calcium sulfate) is slightly irritating to the eyes and respiratory system.
  2. Potassium sulfate and potassium alum is a skin irritant.
  3. Burnt lime (calcium oxide) is a skin and respiratory irritant.
  4. Careless use and storage of sharp tools can cause accidents. Chipping set plaster can result in eye injuries from flying chips.
  5. Benzene used with many mold releases is toxic by skin contact and inhalation. It is also flammable. 6. Making plaster casts of hands, legs, and other body parts can be very hazardous due to the heat released during the setting process. Use of Benzene requires an exposure assessment by EHS. Contact EHS to schedule.
Precautions
  1. Wear gloves and goggles when mixing acetic acid and burnt lime.
  2. Always carve or cut in a direction away from you, and keep hands behind the tool. If the tool falls, don’t try to catch it.
  3. Wear safety goggles when chipping plaster.
  4. Wear gloves and goggles when pouring benzene. Store in safety containers and do not use near open flames.
  5. Do not use plaster for body part casts. Instead, use a plaster-impregnated gauze or material, along with vaseline or similar mold release as protection.

 

Wax

Many different types of waxes are used for modeling, carving, and casting. These include beeswax, ceresin, carnauba, tallow, paraffin, and micro-crystalline wax. In addition, there are synthetic chlorinated waxes. Solvents used to dissolve various waxes include alcohol, acetone, turpentine. Waxes are often softened for carving or modeling by heating in a double boiler, by sculpting with warmed tools or by the use of soldering irons. Wax can be melted for casting in a double boiler. Additives used with waxes include rosin, dyes, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, and other solvents.

Hazards
  1. Overheating wax can result in the release of flammable wax vapors, as well as in the decomposition of the wax to release acrolein. Explosions have occurred from heating wax that contained water.
  2. Alcohol and acetone are solvents with a potential skin contact and inhalation hazard.
  3. Chlorinated synthetic waxes when absorbed by the skin, can cause a severe form of acne (chloracne).
Precautions
  1. Do not overheat waxes. Use a double boiler and a temperature-controlled hot plate. Do not use an open flame to melt waxes.
  2. Use the least hazardous solvent to dissolve your wax. Store solvents safely, do not smoke or have open flames near solvents. Dispose of solvent-soaked rags in an approved waste disposal container which is emptied daily.
  3. Do not use chlorinated synthetic waxes.

 

Woodworking

Wood sculpture uses a large number of different types of hard and soft woods, including many exotic tropical woods. Some of these woods can pose a potential health hazard. Sometimes woods are treated with preservatives or pesticides.

Hazards
  1. Many hardwood dusts, especially those from exotic woods, are common sensitizers and can cause allergic skin reactions. Softwoods do not cause as high a frequency of skin and respiratory sensitivities as hardwoods.
  2. Contact with the dust of many hardwoods can cause conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), hay fever, asthma and coughing.
  3. Some hardwoods contain chemicals that are toxic, and can cause a variety of symptoms, including headaches, salivation, thirst, giddiness, nausea, irregular heartbeat, etc. A classic example is hemlock.
Precautions
  1. Whenever possible, use common hardwoods rather than rare tropical hardwoods.
  2. If you have a history of allergies, you should avoid common sensitizing woods.
  3. If you are handling woods that can cause skin irritation or allergies, wear gloves.

 

Carving and Machining Wood

Wood can be hand carved with chisels, rasps, files, handsaws, sandpaper, and the like, or machined with electric saws, sanders, drills, lathes and other woodworking machines.

Hazards
  1. Woodworking machinery and tools also present physical hazards. Machinery accidents are often due to missing machine guards, faulty equipment, or using the wrong type of machine for a particular operation. Tool accidents are often caused by dull tools or improper use.
  2. Electrical equipment can also present electrical shock and fire hazards from faulty or inadequate wiring.
  3. Sawdust and wood are fire hazards. In addition, fine sawdust is an explosion hazard if enclosed.
Precautions
  1. Wear goggles when using machines that create dust. For lathes and similar machines, which may produce wood chips, use a face shield and goggles, and make sure the machines are properly shielded.
  2. Be sure that all woodworking machines are equipped with proper guards to prevent accidents. Use the proper machine for particular operations and repair defective machines immediately. Do not wear ties, long loose hair, loose sleeves, necklaces, long earrings or other items that could catch in the machinery.
  3. Keep hand tools sharpened, and cut away from your body. Do not place your hands in front of the tool or blade.

 

Gluing Wood

A variety of glues are used for laminating and joining wood. These include contact adhesives, casein glue, epoxy glues, formaldehyde-resin glues (e.g., formaldehyde-resorcinol), hide glues, and white glue (polyvinyl acetate emulsion), and the cyanoacrylate “instant” glues.

Hazards
  1. Epoxy glues are a potential skin, eye and respiratory hazard. Amine hardeners (as well as other types of hardeners) can cause skin allergies and irritation.
  2. Cyanoacrylate glues: These are a skin, eye and respiratory hazard. Eye contact can cause severe eye irritation
  3. Formaldehyde-resin glues: Resorcinol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde glues are toxic by eye contact and by inhalation, and moderately toxic by skin contact. Formaldehyde can cause skin and respiratory irritation and allergies, and is a known human carcinogen. Formaldehyde can be a concern when working with fiber-board and plywood.
  4. Contact adhesives: Flammable contact adhesives contain hexane, mineral spirits or naphtha, which are potential skin and respiratory hazards.
  5. Water-based glues: Water-based contact adhesives, casein glues, hide glues, white glue (polyvinyl acetate), and other water-based adhesives are not hazardous.
Precautions
  1. Avoid formaldehyde resin glues because of allergic reactions and the carcinogenicity of formaldehyde.
  2. Use water-based glues rather then solvent-type glues whenever possible.
  3. Wear gloves when using epoxy glues, solvent-based adhesives, or formaldehyde-resin glues.

 

Metal Working

Students and staff have access to a variety of metalworking machinery and equipment used for cutting, grinding, welding, melting and pouring of metals.

Hazards
  1. Equipment designed to affect metal, is capable of serious bodily injury or even death.
  2. Large, awkward or heavy objects can cause strains and injuries.
  3. Welding can cause burns to skin and eyes as well as creating toxic fumes.
  4. Gas used for welding can be both flammable and explosive.
  5. Acids and patinas can cause damage to organs such as skin and lungs.
  6. Silica used in the sandblaster is a respiratory irritant and can cause damage to the lungs if used improperly.
  7. Some processes use open flames, such as Bunsen burners, which pose a fire hazard.
  8. Sheet metal often has sharp and sometimes jagged edges.
  9. High-temperature processes of molten metal and burnout kilns can cause serious burns.
  10. Metal dust is considered a hazardous and must be swept and disposed of as an unwanted hazardous material.
Precautions
  1. Never operate any equipment without instructor training.
  2. If you are working outside of class hours, check in with the instructor or technician.
  3. Always wear eye protection and closed-toed shoes in the metal shop. Leather shoes are best and a steel or composite toe is encouraged.
  4. Avoid polyester clothing and other synthetics, as they will melt to skin. Cotton and leather are best. Stick with natural fibers.
  5. Avoid loose clothing or anything dangling such as jewelry or sweatshirt ties as these can get caught in machinery.
  6. Wear the appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for whatever task you are doing.
  7. Check your welding helmet to make sure it is working appropriately.
  8. Shut off the gas as soon as you are done.
  9. Never leave an open flame unattended or wax pots on overnight.
  10. Use the vents and snorkels to eliminate fumes.
  11. Wait for sand in the sandblaster to settle before removing objects. Notify technicians of any leaks or torn gloves.
  12. Never work in the metal shop alone, when you are tired or if you are feeling upset.
  13. Pay attention to your body. Practice good ergonomics. Do not ignore pain. Refrain from carrying items that are too heavy and take breaks often to stretch and rest.
  14. Don’t rush. Think things through. If you need help, get help. If no one is available, wait.
  15. If a machine or tool is broken or not working properly, notify faculty or technicians immediately.

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