Keeping Safe

Your Glazing Health and Safety Guide

Dust

The main safety concern with glazes is the generation of dust - the glaze ingredients are fine to handle when they are wet  but the liquid glaze turns to dust when it dries and inhalation of this dust is a particular hazard - that’s why its really important to look out for each other and make sure that you:

  • clean all surfaces in the glazing area after you’ve used them

  • wear a mask if you are mixing your own glazes with raw materials or using the spray booth



Stirring and handling the glazes

At the ASP our standard glazes don’t contain any highly toxic materials like barium, cadmium, manganese and lead. The glazes are safe to touch, but should never be inhaled or ingested.

  • Wash your hands after touching the glazes

  • don’t eat or smoke or touch your mouth or eyes while glazing



Using the spray booth

  • wear a mask when spraying glazes

  • ensure the extractor fan is on

  • always clean out the spray booth to minimise dust - you can do this by filling the glaze gun with water and spraying the booth, or use a sponge.



Hazardous materials

While the studio glazes and basic ingredients are available to everyone to use we keep the more dangerous materials for specialised glaze mixing in our hazards cupboard

  • always leave the hazards cupboard locked - if you notice it has been left unlocked let a staff member know

  • always check with a staff member before accessing the hazards cupboard or mixing your own glazes



More information on health and safety at the asp can be found on our health and safety page.