Developing Environmental
Safety in the Arts – Princeton’s
Approach
Robin Izzo
Assistant Director
Environmental Health and Safety
Princeton University
www.princeton.edu/ehs
rmizzo@princeton.edu
609-258-6259
Epiphany

UVM Screen Printing Room
 Solvent-based
inks
 No
ventilation
 100+ year old building
 Vermont Artists
 Did
Consortium
VanGogh Die for Art?
Visual Arts at Princeton
 Undergraduate Visual Arts
 Theater
 Dance
 Students
have 24 hour access
 Majors have shared or personal studios
 1000 enrolled students in art courses
 ~500
Visual Arts majors
Visual Arts at Princeton
 ~55
Visual Arts Faculty
 22
“permanent”
 Mostly
dance, theater, writing, computer graphics
 Remainder
are “adjunct” faculty
 Turnover
every 1-3 years
 Most commute from New York City
 Faculty
required to be on campus 2 days per
week
 Usually not in until after 1 PM
Visual Arts at Princeton
 Painting
and Drawing
 Sculpture
 Lithography
 Photography
 Printmaking
 Ceramics
 Video
 Theater and Dance
Why an Art Safety Program?
 Health
and safety issues
 Environmental concerns
 Fire safety issues
 Hazard Communication
 Right to Know
 Many artists are not familiar with most of
these issues
Art Hazards
 Painting
 Sculpture
 Photography
 Ceramics
 Lithography
 Theater
Environmental Issues
 RCRA
 Hazardous
Waste
 Clean Air Act
 Spray
booths
 Sculpture shop
 Clean
Water Act
 Ceramics
 Drain
disposal
Princeton’s Program
 Previously
treated generically
 general
Hazard Communication Program
 general Hazard Communication Training
 Right to Know Inventories
 Respirator Program
 Waste Disposal
 Relatively
good shape
Princeton’s Program
 EHS
Overall Trend
 move
from broad based programs to specialized
programs
 common problem - expectations not
communicated
 identify goals and objectives, work with
department to determine how to make it work
based on their needs
Princeton’s Program
 Specialized Training
Program
 all
incoming faculty
 all students
 review specific issues
 quiz
 Inspections
 Semi-annual
EHS inspections
 Monthly departmental inspections
Princeton’s Program
 Theater
Safety Program
 Staff
and student in the Theater Program
 Student Theater Groups
 Theater
In-Time
 Triangle Club
 Training
Program
 On-line Student Theater Safety Guide
 www.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/theatersafety
Princeton’s Program
 Student
 Event

Theater Safety Training
Planning
Fire code permits, security needs, etc.
 Emergency
Procedures
 Set Design and Construction

Rigging, power tools, chemical safety, etc.
 Lighting
and Sound
 Special effects
 Performance
 Strike
Princeton’s Program
 Environmental
 University
policy
 Long-standing
 EPA,
Stewardship
policy on regulatory fines
OSHA, State, etc.
 Fines from violations are the responsibility of
the department where the violation was noted
 Department can pass along fines to labs,
groups, etc.
Princeton Art Safety Training
 Hazard
Communication Program
 Understanding Chemical Safety Info
 Spill Cleanup
 Waste Disposal
 Medium-Specific Concerns
Painting
 Pigments
 “hues”
Thinners
 Linseed Oil

 autoignition

Adhesives
 sensitizers
Oil-based paints
 Turpentine

 sensitizer
- odorless thinner is better alternative
Paint Pigments
Antimony
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
True Naples Yellow
Cobalt violet
Emerald Green
All cadmium pigments
Resp and GI Irritation
Skin/eye/GI irritation
CNS disorders, Cancer
Lung, kidney, CNS disease
High BP, anemia
Chromium green, strontium Skin, respiratory irritation
yellow, viridian, chrome
Allergies
yellow, zinc yellow
Lung cancer
Flake white, mixed white,
CNS disorder, GI problems
Naples or chrome yellow
Burnt amber, Mn blue, Mn Respiratory irritation
violet, Mars brown
CNS problems
Vermillion
CNS disease
Precautions for Painters
 Know
the what is in your pigments. Use
the least toxic.
 Avoid mixing dry pigments.
 Avoid hand to mouth contact.
 Don’t use your mouth to point your brush.
 Avoid using turpentine - use thinner
 Use least dusty forms of chalk, pastels, etc.
Photography
 Developer
 alkaline
 Stop
Bath
 acetic
acid
 Fixers
 Disposal
problems
 Reducer
 Mix
with concentrated
acid or high heat, can
release cyanide gas
Many photochemicals are
sensitizers
Precautions for Photographers
 Use
liquid chemistry
 Avoid skin exposure
 Cover baths when not
in use.
 Use pre-mixed chemicals
 Rinse with water between acid bleach step
and fixing steps. (sulfur dioxide gas)
 Use good ventilation.
Ceramics
 Silica
- silicosis
 sand,
perlite, grog,
vermiculite
 Mold
- wet clay
 Musculo-skeletal problems
 Glazes - metals
 Skin irritation
 clay,
 Kiln
glazes
- fumes, CO, IR
Precautions for Ceramics
 Use
pre-mixed clay.
 Use good ventilation. Clean daily.
 Moisturize hands.
 Avoid lead glazes
 Use gloves when handling glazes
 Use good ventilation and CO for kiln
 Wear IR goggles when looking into kiln
 Electrical safety and good material handling
Sculpture
 Wood
shop - same hazards and concerns as
maintenance, etc.
 Plasters, silica, etc.
 Spray Paint
 Clay
 Paints
 Mold-making
Resins
Precautions for Sculptors
 Use
eye and face protection
 Choose the least hazardous woods and
stones
 Do not use plaster for casting body parts
 Use good lifting techniques
 Protect hands against vibration of hand
tools
 Use machining tools under supervision
Precautions for Sculptors
 Take
breaks to avoid carpal tunnel
syndrome
 Avoid chlorinated waxes
 Protect against electrical hazards
 Wear gloves when applying epoxy glues
and hardeners, formaldehyde glues or
solvent-based adhesives
Lithography/Printmaking
 Linseed
Oil
 Solvents
 Sharp Tools
 Hot Plates
 Inks
 Nitric acid
 contamination
solvents
 disposal
with
Environmental Concerns
 Waste
disposal
 solvents,
 oily
oils
rags
 photochemicals
 acids and bases
 sharps
 empty chemical containers
 glazes
Environmental Concerns
 Drain
disposal
 fixers
 thinners
 Air
emissions
 paint
spray booths
 exhaust from woodworking equipment
 EPA Initiative
 focus
on art department
 dumpster diving
Pollution Prevention
 Use
“hues”
 High flashpoint solvents (Turpenoid)
 Baby Oil for brush cleaning
 Digital photography
 Silver recovery
 Recycle everything possible
 Institutional
Recycling Network
Getting Started
 Partnership
between department and EHS to
determine expectations and requirements
 Ordered and installed needed materials
 Mandatory meeting with faculty
 White tornado of corrective actions
 Meet with students and faculty to explain
new procedures and provide specialized
training
Getting Started
 Videotaped
meeting and training for those
who could not attend.
 Began frequent inspections. Notified
faculty and students about infractions.
 Included building janitor in training,
particular attention on waste disposal.
 Recruited casual employee to conduct
inspections of studios twice weekly.
Initiatives








Standardized containers
Pre-printed labels
MSDS proliferation
Signage
Spill Kits
Purchasing Restrictions
Waste Disposal
Improvements
Inspections
Standardized Containers
 Previously
- any available glass container often food or drink containers
 Difficult to identify what was a chemical
container vs. a true food container
 Pre-labeled mason jars required. Lids
available - required when material not in
use.
Pre-Printed Waste Labels
 Color-coded
printed labels provided by
EHS for regular waste streams
 Waste poster with label supply
 Sample labels affixed to cabinets.
MSDSs
 Always
good about
keeping MSDSs on
hand, but accessibility
was an issue.
 MSDS notebook for
every classroom.
 Clearly labeled.
 Chained to cabinets.
Signage
 Instructions
posted in
every room
 drain
disposal
restrictions
 MSDS locations
 Closing checklist
 Spill kit locations
 No
excuse for not
following procedures
 Lamination
Signage
Spill Kits
 Increased
number of
spill kits to ensure all
areas covered.
 Provided training on
how and when to use
them.
Purchasing Restrictions
 Non-majors
cannot bring in personal
materials
 Majors have a budget
 All materials purchased through technician
or approved by technician
 Ensures MSDS availability and hazard
assessment
Waste Disposal Improvements
 Clarified
expectations
 Standardized waste
containers
 Standardized labeling
 Inspections
Inspections
 EHS
involved in first
rounds
 Monthly inspections
by department staff
 Weekly inspections of
student areas by casual
employee
 Assistance by janitor
 Public violation notice
Inspections
 Most
Common “Violations” noted
 Incompletely
labeled containers
 Flammable liquid storage cabinets not closed
tightly
 Lids or foil covers missing from individual
containers of thinners
 Rags left on the floor
 Funnels left in waste containers
 Labels on containers in cabinet not facing out
How Can You Do This?
 Learn
about the issues
 Find
out what your art department does.
 Familiarize yourself about the issues using
reference materials.
 Determine which issues apply to your
institution.
How Can You Do This?
 Find
the right people
 find
your champion
 may not be the department chair or manager
 educate the people with authority about the
issues and the potential consequences
 people
 money
 Work
with them to find workable solutions
Training
 Establish
a specialized training program.
 Find a way to include everyone in the
training.
 Not just classroom training
 faculty
pass it onto the students
 inspections/problem discussion also help
educate people
Inspect and Follow Up
 Inspections/follow-up
absolutely crucial.
 Do not drop and dash. Follow it through.
 Frequent at first, then taper off as
improvements made.
 Feedback to faculty and students.
Accountability is crucial.
 Celebrate successes.
Resources
 Web
Sites
 Center
for Safety in the Arts
 http://artsnet.heinz.cmu.edu:70/0/csa
 ACTS: Arts,
Crafts and Theater Safety
 http://www.caseweb.com/acts/
 Princeton
Univ Art Safety Training Guide
 http://www.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/artsafety
 Princeton
Univ Theater Operations Manual
 http://www.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/theatersafety
Books
 Artist
Beware - Michael McCann, PhD, CIH
 The Artist’s Complete Health and Safety Guide,
Monona Rossol, MS, MFA
 Overexposure: Photography Hazards -Susan
Shaw and Monona Rossol
 Making Art Safely - M. Spandorfer, D. Curtiss, J.
Snyder, MD
 Stage Fright: Health & Safety in Theater Monona Rossol, MS, MFA
 Health Hazards Manual for Artists - Michael
McCann, PhD, CIH
Questions???
A View of Princeton…