Printmaking Studios
Safety policies for Printmaking studios
Printmaking: etching
Use of solvents
- Cleaning of all etching grounds, aquatints, and residual ink in the printing plates must occur under in the Cleaning Booth, Rm. 341.
- Wear gloves when using solvents to limit contact with skin.
- Use volatile solvents like denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner sparingly.
- First clean up ink on slabs with razor scraper before using solvent.
- Scrape excess ink into ink residual container, (usable ink can be put back in can).
- Dispose of rags in red safety container.
- Tarlartan and in-process rags are store in specific containers.
- No open solvent containers.
Acid etching room
- Wear eye protection when observing plates in acid during the etching process.
- Where gloves when removing plate from acid bath.
- Report any spillage immediately to faculty.
- If acid comes in contacts with an eye, there is an eye wash station in the acid etching room. Run the water for 30 seconds to flush the unit, hold eye open, and wash eye for fifteen minutes. Any eye injury should be examined by a physician.
Aquatint
- Use ventilating fans while applying and fusing aquatint.
- Use the rack to move the plate.
Printmaking: lithography
Use of acid
- Handle the acid drip bottle with care. Do not remove it from the designated area. Wear a face shield for protection, and wash hands after handling bottle.
- If acid comes in contacts with an eye, there is an eye wash station in the acid etching room. Run the water for 30 seconds to flush the unit, hold eye open, and wash eye for fifteen minutes. Any eye injury should be examined by a physician.
Use of solvents
- Washing out of the image must occur under the ventilation hood.
- Wear gloves when using solvents to limit contact with skin.
- Use volatile solvents like denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner sparingly.
- First clean up ink on slabs with razor scraper before using solvent.
- Scrape excess ink into residual container (usable ink can be put back in can).
- Dispose of rags in red safety container.
Handling the litho stones
- To avoid injury, use the proper technique demonstrated by the teacher when moving and carrying lithography stones.
Screen printing
Many of the materials in Screen Printing are non-toxic because they are water based, and certified by the American Arts and Crafts Institute. This includes the inks, extender base, and screen filler. However, the students are advised of these potentially hazardous situations, and are directed to take the following precautions:
- Protective gloves are to be worn when handling photo-sensitive emulsion, emulsion sensitizer, and emulsion remover.
- If the use of a solvent such as denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, or paint thinner is required in screen cleaning or some other process, the material is to be used in the solvent booth, Rm. 339, and protective gloves used.
- The student will not ordinarily use Haze Remover Paste in screen cleaning unless under the supervision of the Instructor. Haze Remover Paste must be used with protective goggles and gloves. It is a strong alkaline and will burn skin with prolonged contact. (Flush with cold water).
- If there are any medical or physical conditions that may pose a health hazard to the student, this condition must be brought to the attention of the Instructor.
- The screenprinting studio must be kept clean in accordance to the procedure outlined by the Instructor. (see Appendices, "Industrial hygiene - Housekeeping")
- At the end of the semester, the students work space must be cleaned, and any equipment used by the student must be cleaned and returned, or the final grade will be withheld.
Failure to comply with safety rules after one verbal and one written warning will result in lowering the grade by one full point.
Photomechanical printmaking
Equipment
- Light exposure unit emits strong UV light that is harmful to your eyes.
- Do not look directly at this light.
- Ventilation must be turned on when processing film in darkroom sink. (Switch is on left of sink).