Lapidary Journal: Playing It Safe by Sara M. Sanford(Technique-May 2001)

You can eat healthy, organic foods, exercise regularly, not smoke or do drugs, drive defensively (and always wear your seat belt!), but if you ignore safety in your workplace, all that good effort may be sabotaged. Whether you earn your living at making jewelry or just enjoy it as a hobby, ignoring, or being ignorant of, the basic rules of safety can spell disaster.

I can hear it now — the whine. “But it costs so much, in efficiency, in time, in the price of equipment!” Well, think about it this way — just how much will it cost you when you have an accident and are out of commission for several weeks, or have to replace equipment and materials that have been damaged due to your lack of precautions? And what if you’re permanently damaged — your eyesight, your hearing, your lungs, or heaven forbid, your life? How do you justify the cost of that?

You can look at the so-called cost/benefit ratio from just an economic viewpoint, but it’s really more sensible to reckon in the risk factor as well. Is it worth the risk to produce a few more pieces of jewelry by ignoring safety procedures? There’s an old saying, “If you don’t have time to do it right, how will you find the time to do it over?” You might find that it costs you more in terms of downtime due to accidents than the profit you might earn by turning out those extra pieces. And the cost to you in terms of your long-term health is incalculable.

“Yes,” I can hear you saying, “but I do practice safety precautions, at least most of the time!” Unfortunately, it will be the one time you let that practice slip which can result in a preventable accident. And all accidents are preventable, really. “Familiarity breeds contempt” may be a cliché, but after all, clichés are cliché because they are all too often true. We may practice standard safety precautions every day, but like any well-worn routine, it is easy to start skipping it “just this once,” which can then lead to eliminating it altogether. The way to avoid this is to also practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness means being aware of all that is around you, or paying attention to detail at all times. It’s when we let our minds wander that safety considerations tend to drop by the wayside. The best way to work safely is to simply pay attention to what you are doing.

However, there are a number of precautions that you need to think about even before you begin working. By having the proper equipment on hand, and following the correct safety procedures, you will be well on your way to achieving safety in your studio. There are a number of ways to protect your body, your work space, and your environment.

Protect Your Body
• Eyes
• Ears
• Lungs
• Skin
• Back

Protect Your Studio
• General Safety Practices
• Storage of Hazardous Materials
• Standard Safety Equipment and Supplies

Individual Areas:
• Soldering
• Polishing
• Casting
• Electroplating

Protect Your Environment

Resources

PROTECT YOUR BODY.

EYES

As an artist, your eyes are your most important asset. Protecting them should always be your top priority — not only from invasive physical harm, but from strain as well. A magnifier headpiece, such as an Optivisor, acts both as a basic shield and as protection from strain. But for procedures, such as polishing, which can involve airborne missiles, you should wear safety goggles or glasses, or a full-face shield. Those of us who are “of a certain age” will probably wear reading glasses in addition to an Optivisor, which affords some additional protection. Those in the younger generation should get used to wearing safety glasses at all times when in the studio, even under your Optivisor.

Safety glasses guard eyes against flying debris and spattering chemicals. Photo courtesy Rio Grande.

Lighting also plays an important role in working safely. Time spent groping in the dark can cost more in the long run than adding adequate lighting. And good light will certainly reduce the chance of eye strain, although overly bright or glaring lights will add to it instead.

One of the most important and most basic things you can do to protect your eyesight is to see your ophthalmologist at least once a year. He or she can advise you on the best way to protect your eyes, and monitor any changes that take place which might indicate possible problems.

EARS

Your ears are probably the most neglected organs when it comes to safety, since the effects of aural abuse tend to be long term, and so overlooked. Constantly playing loud music in the studio not only assaults the nerves in the ear, but can also mask sounds which warn of danger. Keeping the volume of background noise low will be healthier for your ears, and still allow you to hear any unusual sounds.

Wearing ear protection, such as earmuffs with foam or gel filling, will reduce the level of noise reaching your eardrums, yet let you hear sounds such as the telephone ringing. These should be worn when doing any technique for long periods of time that produces continual, sharp noise, such as forging or repoussé, or when using loud equipment, like a compressor.

The damage to your hearing caused by loud noises tends to be cumulative, occurring in almost unnoticeable doses, but does build up over time, and is usually irreversible. While some hearing loss often occurs with age, isn’t it better not to accelerate the process?

A half-face respirator filters out the dust and fumes that ractically every jewelry-making process generates. Photo courtesy Rio Grande.

LUNGS
Of course breathing is automatic — it has to be, or we wouldn’t exist, since a human being can only survive a few minutes without breathing. However, what we breathe can affect our health, both in the short term and the long run. For those who already have respiratory problems, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or other lung disease, this is even more crucial.

Almost every jewelry-making process generates some kind of debris or fumes which can be hazardous to our lungs. I once spent several hours at an exhibition demonstrating how to carve cuttlebone. The quickest way to get rid of the dust generated by carving cuttlebone is to blow it away. Cuttlebone powder is used as a mild abrasive, and when very fine, is easily airborne. Of course, in order to blow out, you first have to breathe in. Normally I only do one carving at a time, but during the exhibition I worked on quite a few, and my lungs hurt for the next several days. Now when I carve even one cuttlebone, I wear a mask and use a brush or canned air to get rid of the dust.

There are two basic ways to protect your lungs — good ventilation and an appropriate respirator. Adequate ventilation can be expensive, but the benefit to your lungs cannot be overrated. It can be as simple as using two fans, one at an open window, blowing air outside, and the other across the room, moving air toward the window. You need to create a positive air flow, from your back to the window.

“But I live in Minnesota in the winter — I can’t possibly work with an open window!” you might say. In that case, establishing adequate ventilation will take more effort and more expense, but it is in no way less necessary. Modern technology has improved insulation to the point where a building can be so tightly sealed that there is little or no exchange of air with the outside. If you don’t find a way to ventilate, the heating (or cooling) system may simply recirculate the same air continually. The solution may be to install an exhaust fan in your studio, or a more expensive self-contained filtration system which will extract fumes, particulates, and odors from the air and process it through a series of filters. These filters can be custom fitted to your own particular needs. If you have the space, you may want to restrict the processes which produce hazardous substances, like plating for instance, to a small room which is especially well ventilated.

What constitutes adequate ventilation?
This a complex subject, involving the calculation of cubic feet of air being replaced within a specified timeframe. In addition, how many people work in a space, what is being done there, and what hazards may be produced are all part of the formula. If you are a professional jeweler, especially if you have employees, I highly recommend consulting an industrial hygienist. (See the section on “Sources” below.)

Besides ventilation, you can protect your lungs further by wearing the proper respirator. Unfortunately, cheap paper masks are totally inadequate, and the proper (and more expensive) masks with appropriate filters are uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. However, it will be far more uncomfortable when you develop emphysema or lung cancer years from now because you neglect good safety practices in the present.

So what filters do you need? Luckily, your tax dollars have been spent on extensive research just to provide you with that information. NIOSH, or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is the Federal organization responsible for research and education in the field of industrial safety. All filters have been certified by NIOSH for specific uses, and you can easily choose which one, or what combination of filters, you need for your particular circumstances. Your local safety supply company will help you make that choice. Remember, however, that a respirator does not work unless you wear it!

There is a third way to protect your lungs: don’t smoke! But I’m sure you’re already aware of that.

Some basic equipment helps prevent both immediate and long-term damage to your body. A flame-retardant apron protects both body and clothing. Photo courtesy Rio Grande.

SKIN
Your skin is actually the largest organ in your body, responsible for protecting your inner systems. It is also the organ most exposed to possible abuse. Luckily, the skin tends to heal rapidly from minor cuts, burns, and abrasions, unless we neglect them and infection sets in. Keeping your hands clean, and making sure any wound is clean and protected from further damage is essential. And don’t forget to keep your tetanus shots up to date.

The best way to protect your skin is to avoid damaging it in the first place; the best way to do that is to pay attention to what you’re doing. Why does the sawblade break, or the graver slip? Usually because we’re not paying attention. This is where mindfulness becomes most important.


	Alligator Skin® provides a secure grip without the possible hazards that gloves entail. Photos courtesy Rio Grande.

But there are other ways to protect your skin: wearing appropriate gloves when working with hazardous materials, such as acid or hot metal; wearing an apron to protect not only your clothing, but your body as well. However, wearing gloves in order to protect your manicure while polishing is not usually a good idea, and may cause more harm than it prevents. Gloves, especially loose ones, can get caught up in the flexible-shaft machine or a polishing lathe, and can do some serious injury to your hands. They can also prevent you from holding your work securely, resulting in damage to your piece.

BACK
Human beings were not originally designed to sit still for long periods of time. Your spine suffers the most from remaining in a sitting position, and from the resulting compression on the discs. Doing mild stretching exercises, say for three to five minutes each hour or so while in the studio, will both benefit your back and refresh your mind, allowing a break from intense concentration.

Since we do have to sit so much, whether doing jewelry or lapidary work, it makes sense to invest in a good chair. An ergonomically correct chair may be expensive, but will save you money in the long run by decreasing the fatigue which can cause accidents. A rolling, swiveling chair is the most efficient, and one which tips forward with your body, thus preventing the circulation in your lower legs from being cut off, is the best. I would also suggest you protect the investment in your chair by making a cover for the seat and back, so it is less susceptible to damage. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy — a large bath towel works well and is easily laundered. (These same precautions apply to those of us who spend too much time sitting in front of a computer!)

Using correct lifting techniques will also save you from future agony. Having had back surgery myself, I can personally attest to the importance of protecting your spine. Luckily, an operation was able to relieve my problem, but surgery is not always possible. So, bend from the knees, not from the waist, and get help lifting those 100-pound barrels of investment!

Remember, you only have one body, and unlike your jewelry or lapidary equipment, replacement parts are hard to find and tend to be expensive! (Not to mention being difficult and painful to install.)

PROTECT YOUR STUDIO.

General Safety Practices:
There are a few general safety practices which are no more than simple common sense. The first is to restrict access to your work space, keeping out kids, pets, and irresponsible and/or ignorant adults. A large dog with an enthusiastic tail can wreak havoc despite your most careful precautions. Some adults can mean well but may not understand, or care about, safety rules. And having kids in your studio means you can’t both watch them and concentrate on your work.

Be sure the electrical system in your studio is safe. Don’t overload any one circuit, and use extension cords only when absolutely necessary. If you do have to use them, make sure they are heavy duty, and keep them as short as possible. If you are lucky enough to build your work space, or remodel it, put in twice the electrical circuits you think you could ever possibly use, and double the number of outlets on each circuit. Trust me, you will use them eventually!

Proper maintenance of your equipment is not only a good way to protect your capital investment, but an excellent safety practice as well. Regular maintenance can reveal potential problems before they become dangerous. Scheduling a maintenance period at least once a month may seem like an unprofitable nuisance, but it will pay off in the long run, both in terms of less capital expense to replace equipment, and in the safety of yourself and your studio.

Keeping your work space clean and tidy is an obvious safety precaution, but one that is all too easily ignored. Putting away an item not being used means knowing where it is the next time it’s needed, and therefore cutting down on frustration, which can lead to accidents. Set aside some time, either at the end of the day or the beginning of the next, to tidy and clean up. Doing so on a daily basis will mean less needs to be done each time.

There is also a right way to clean your studio, to help prevent possible harmful elements from spreading. Use a vacuum, or wipe clean with a damp cloth — not a dry brush or broom. A damp cloth will pick up, not just redistribute, dust and small debris. A vacuum cleaner made specifically for filtering allergens works the best for keeping airborne particles out of your lungs.

Storage of Hazardous Materials:
What constitutes a hazardous material? Anything that can harm you or your surroundings, either through misuse or by its own characteristics. How do you know what is or can be harmful? Make a habit of asking for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for each and every product you buy, whether from a jewelry supply company or another source. The MSDS will have information about the physical properties of the product, potential health hazards, what precautions are necessary, how to deal with accidents involving the product, and how to dispose of it safely.

Legally, every supplier must provide an MSDS for each potentially hazardous product they sell. Again, legally, if you have students, apprentices, or employees, you must not only provide them with appropriate safety equipment, but also have the MSDS for all products they might use or come into contact with available for them to read. I, personally, would like to commend the Rio Grande Tools & Equipment Company for devoting a whole page in their catalog to information about the uses of the MSDS, and for their emphasis on safety throughout.

Those substances which are potentially harmful in and of themselves fall into two general categories: flammable and caustic. This means the solvents we work with, such as denatured alcohol or acetone, and acids for cleaning or etching, should be stored separately, in a locked metal cabinet. In fact, your local fire regulations may require such a storage unit if you work in a commercial building. At home, it only makes good sense to store these materials safely, not just in a closet or under the sink.

However, storing potentially hazardous materials which you don’t use frequently may cause a problem if you don’t inspect them on a regular basis. Strong solvents (especially acids) can corrode their containers, releasing the contents, or fumes, to do further damage. “Out of sight, out of mind” is a feeble excuse for not checking them regularly.

Standard Safety Equipment and Supplies:
Other than the specific equipment mentioned throughout this article, there are a few basic safety products which you should have, none of them very expensive. The first is a good fire extinguisher. Place it near the exit door to your studio, so that you can grab it on your way out of the room. (Leaving the area should be your first action if a fire occurs.) A second extinguisher should be available further away from your work space. Be sure to check these on a yearly basis, or have your local fire department do so, replacing or recharging them as necessary.

A good first aid kit is essential, and this means more than just a box of Band-Aids. Kits are available from most safety supply companies, or your local Red Cross may have a list of items considered necessary for a good kit. Be sure to check your kit on a regular basis, both to restock used items and to discard and replace anything past its expiration date. If you do a lot of shows, having a first aid kit in your show paraphernalia is also a good idea.

Another good item to have is an emergency eye wash station. There are several kinds available from safety supply companies, including one which attaches to any standard faucet, and others which are self-contained. If anything occurs which makes it necessary to use an eye wash, be sure to seek professional medical help immediately.

INDIVIDUAL AREAS.

So far, we have discussed protecting your body and your studio in general. But there are specific areas where safety practices are very important, and we will look at them by technique.

There are a number of ways to assure your safety while soldering. These have been covered in the series of 10 articles on soldering equipment and techniques published in Lapidary Journal starting in December 1998, and running through December 2000. (Most particularly, read the “Maintenance and Safety” section of The Heat Is On in the July 1999 issue.) Here are the highlights: remove all flammable materials from your soldering area; keep your fuel tanks chained to the wall or to a cart; replace your torch hoses regularly; have your regulators serviced frequently; wear appropriate goggles when soldering; keep a lid on your pickle and don’t throw hot metal into it; and watch where your torch is pointed at all times.

Polishing is doubly hazardous, both to your body (your eyes in particular) and to your lungs, with the almost- invisible particulates, which are generated in all phases of the polishing/finishing process. There are many precautions needed, which were covered in the series on polishing and finishing metal, published in July, August, and September of 2000, and February and April of 2001.

Again, the highlights: wear safety glasses or goggles and an appropriate respirator; tie back any loose hair, clothing, or jewelry; use the proper buff size for your motor speed; use a dust collector and clean the filter frequently; when applying patinas, work only in a well ventilated space; wear gloves when handling chemicals for patinas; practice mindfulness at all times when polishing or finishing metal.

Lost-wax casting presents a whole set of additional safety considerations, most having to do with the dangers of heat. We heat wax to shape a model; next we burn it out of the mold; and then we melt metal, at high temperatures, to cast into that mold.

Using an open flame when working with wax, whether an alcohol lamp, Bunsen burner, or equivalent, necessitates caution. A metal lamp is safer than a glass one, which can break and quickly spread burning fuel. An electric wax pen or hot point is again safer than an alcohol lamp, but may not be as efficient at some techniques where a variety of temperatures in quick succession are necessary. Dropping hot wax on your skin, especially the high-plastic-content carving wax, can produce a bad burn. Watch your hands, and keep them out from under the wax you are working on.

The main non-heat-related precaution involved in lost-wax casting comes in the investing procedure. Investment is a very finely ground silica-based substance and is easily inhaled. Wearing a respirator is essential when working with investment. Cleaning up after investing your flasks should be done with a damp cloth to avoid spreading investment through the air, and into your lungs.

Most waxes used for making models are petroleum-based, and so produce noxious fumes when they are burned out. Styrofoam and plastic models are even worse, and organic materials not much better. The key word here is “ventilation.” Place your burnout kiln under an exhaust hood, or better still, in a separate room. Alternatively, you can use a steam de-waxer, which melts the wax out without burning it, but this does not work with carving waxes with high-melting temperatures. You can place a drip tray under the flasks, which is removed after the wax has melted and before the kiln’s temperature is raised above 300°F. However, the de-waxer or drip-tray technique will not work with most plastic or organic models.

Be sure your electric burnout kiln is safely plugged into a circuit that can handle its high power requirements. Don’t use an extension cord if at all possible; if absolutely necessary, use a very heavy duty cord. If you use a gas-fired kiln, check all the gas connections on a regular basis.

When melting metal for casting, whether with an open flame torch or a closed electric furnace, be especially sure to practice mindfulness. Hot metal flying around a room is not a pretty sight, and the results can be disastrous to you and to your work space. Protect your body with appropriate gear, such as a full-face shield, heavy apron, and heat resistant gloves. If you use a centrifuge, be sure it is properly balanced before you begin, as an imbalanced machine tends to throw metal about.

After you have completed the cast, the next step is to quench the flask, to break the casting out of the investment. The main precaution here is to not quench it too soon, which can cause an explosion. Wait a few minutes before plunging the hot flask into cold water, and thrust it in all at once, quickly, to prevent it from “spitting” at you. Of course, you should use a metal bucket, not a plastic one, in case you inadvertently drop the flask out of the tongs. Otherwise you could have water and hot, hissing investment all over your studio! The steam that rises will be laced with silicon, so always wear a respirator during quenching.

Last but not least, do not pour used investment down your sink, unless your plumber needs to put several kids through college and you want to contribute a healthy portion of the tuition. Let the investment settle in the (metal) bucket, then carefully pour or siphon off the water on top. Then let it dry, and dispose of it in the garbage. (I really do hate to see it contributing to the landfill, but as far as I know, there is no way to recycle old investment. Any suggestions?)

Electroplating and electroforming involve some very hazardous materials. One of these is cyanide, a deadly poison. These techniques should never be used by non-professionals, or in any situation where kids, pets, or uninformed adults may encounter the products. Although there are some non-cyanide-based solutions, these usually involve acids and are still hazardous, although to a lesser degree.

The first thing to consider if you do decide to use a plating technique is ventilation, as the fumes from plating solutions are very toxic. Wearing the proper respirator is also necessary. Wear safety glasses, gloves, and an appropriate apron at all times, and of course, do not eat, drink, or smoke while involved in this process.

Whether you do plating with cyanide solutions on a regular basis, or just occasionally, you should always have an antidote kit on hand. These are available only with a doctor’s prescription, and you will need to keep track of the expiration date. Don’t tuck it away in a drawer or cupboard; if you accidentally ingest cyanide, you have only seconds to use the antidote successfully.

Most production shops use a steam cleaner to clean metal before plating or after polishing. These machines produce superheated steam dispensed under pressure, which can cause bad burns. Be sure to use the appropriate tongs or tweezers to hold jewelry when using a steam cleaner.

The usual precautions about all machines also apply here: adequate electrical connection, regular maintenance, and mindfulness when using it.

PROTECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT.

Just as you want to protect your body and your studio, you should also work to protect your environment. It is tempting to just throw everything in the garbage and have it carted off each week, without thought as to where it will wind up. However, toxic materials, improperly disposed of, impact on all of us — not just now, but for future generations. So how do you protect your environment?

The first thing is to identify the hazardous materials you need to dispose of, and the MSDS will be of help here. Part of the information on these sheets is about disposal. Many items can be safely put in your regular garbage for collection, but others require special handling. Where can you dispose of them?

Not that I want to boast, but Oregon is a leader in environmental protection. There is a regional recycling organization which not only runs hazardous material depots, but also has local free disposal events on specified dates, which accept hazardous household waste such as paint and batteries. There is even a recycling hotline, which I call to find out about disposing of certain materials. Again, the MSDS will give you the specific information about the material in question. Look under “Recycling” in the Yellow Pages, call your refuse hauler, or try your local equivalent of the Department of Environmental Quality.

RESOURCES

If you have questions about specific materials, safety equipment, or need further information, there are a number of sources available. Your local library, or a library at a college, university, or medical school will have books and periodicals, and possibly video tapes, on safety. Finding information limited to jewelry manufacturing may be a bit harder, but most books on jewelry-making techniques do include safety advice. Personally, I find Tim McCreight’s books to be about the best on health hazards, written in his accessible, down-to-earth style.

Commercial journals, like Jewelers Circular Keystone, Modern Jeweler, American Jewelry Manufacturer, etc. focus more on selling jewelry than on workbench practices, but do occasionally have articles on safety. These trade publications may not be readily available, but general interest magazines like Lapidary Journal, Metalsmith, and Ornament should be. Don’t neglect the advertisements — they can be a good source for catalogs and information on safety equipment.

Any supplier from whom you purchase equipment, supplies, and materials should have an MSDS for each potentially hazardous product. Ask for them!

Look in the Yellow Pages for local safety equipment companies. They are usually more geared to large, industrial customers, but few will refuse money from a small purchaser. And while you are exercising your fingers, look under “Safety or Industrial Hygienist Consultants.” You may not be able to afford their services by yourself, but you might ask them to speak at a meeting of your jewelry, lapidary, or metals guild. It will help to be specific about your concerns, so they can gear their talk to your needs. Inviting a representative from a safety supply company to speak and show his/her products, to your group is also a good idea.

Other potential sources of information, especially for a group, are: the Red Cross; the American Lung Association; colleges, universities, and medical schools (including chiropractic); arts organizations; and your state and federal offices of OHSA (Occupational Health & Safety Administration) or NIOSH, if one is in your locale.

If all else fails, there is always the Internet!

DON’T GIVE UP!

Are you about ready to give it all up? Are you too terrified to even venture into your studio? There is such a thing as paranoia vs. common sense. After all, if you have to be obsessive-compulsive about something, your health is surely a good choice.

You may say. “But all this precaution is too expensive!” To this I reply, “How much is your health worth?” How much are you willing to suffer, not only in terms of loss of money or time, but in human pain as well? Isn’t it worth a few extra minutes or perhaps some mild discomfort to protect your body, your studio, and your environment?

All that safety in the studio requires is a basic commitment to safe practices. And don’t forget the continuing education part of safety. Not so long ago, we all happily, and dangerously, were using asbestos and benzene. Now we know these are very hazardous materials, and we use safer (at least to a degree) replacements. Who knows what familiar substance will next wind up on the danger list?

But above all: practice mindfulness!

Sara M. Sanford is a professional jeweler and a founding member and past president of the Creative Metal Arts Guild in Portland, Oregon.

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