Health and Safety

 Health and Safety comments and identification are a part of Criteria A1.4 (AC4)

When you add H&S commentary to your work make sure you title the work in bold Health and Safety. Also highlight the section using the bucket tool (Word) with a consistent colour.

The types of things you should research and identify...

Darkroom  Printing 

Chemicals. All of the chemicals in the dishes in the darkroom present dangers if handled in-correctly. The most likely cause of injury would be contact with skin especially subcutaneous skin e.g. the soft skin type as seen inside your mouth - inner cheeks, gums etc. Exterior skin is generally tough enough to be submerged in all of the chemicals for short periods of time in most people's cases - picking up prints and tongs from the tray for instance, but you need to wash your hands soon after and not allow the chemicals to dry on your skin. Dried chemicals on fingers in particular can easily be rubbed into your eyes for instance much later on and cause sore dry eyes or potentially worse.

Eczema, Dermatitis, Psoriasis and sensitive skin If you've ever had any of these you need to be especially cautious and always use tongs to move the prints. There are gloves that you can wear and other items including aprons. (Speak to the technician or your lecturer). 

If you observe the rules and don't mess around in the darkroom it's completely safe. Work in an organised responsible way and there will be no issues.

Of the three chemicals the developer is the one you need to show the most respect to. If you dip your fingers in it, you'll feel that it's slippery. Developer is caustic which means it's corrosive, the feeling of slippery-ness isn't the chemical, it's your skin breaking down at a microscopic level. If you put your fingers in developer always wash them soon after in cold water. (Warm water opens your pores and increases the chances of the chemical being absorbed into your skin). 

All the chemicals have something called a "MSDS" Material Safety Data Sheet. As part of your work at a later point we'll look at these MSDS's and learn how they are used in conjunction with COSHH documents.

This is the MSDS for the Print Developer here 

Typically when doing further research into these or any chemicals,  type the initials MSDS and the chemicals name. You'll be offered a set of choices; normally with our chemicals, you'll see the name 'Ilford' or 'Harmon'. Select one of these that has the PDF option. 

These documents are also available in the 'Sink room' in a folder.

One accident that may occur that will need immediate attention is chemicals splashed in the eyes. Note The chemicals that you handle have been watered down dramatically. The MSDS documents relate to the chemicals in their un-diluted state. These are locked away in the chemical cupboards. But if you do get splashes in the eyes you need to wash your eyes with copious amounts of clean water for 5 minutes or so using a eye bath (In the medical kit - sink room). Or a film cannister can be used as a substitute. This will wash the chemical out and you're usually left with a dry feeling eye that may feel sore. This feeling will normally go within a short while. If the feeling persists or gets worse medical help should be sort. (This has never happened in the 40 years I've been using the chemicals). 

Fixer This has another property - staining. If you get it on your clothes the stains will not wash out.

Do not transfer chemicals or water to the enlarger area. The space around the enlargers is a Dry Area as there are cables and plug sockets. Do not put wet prints on the benches where your working. Keep the wet prints in the wet areas or take out in trays to areas where they can be viewed and dried. 

Wet prints in the sink area only.

Bags and obstructions on the floor - Keep any bags or similar under the benches - do not leave these in areas where you or someone else could trip over them. (Trip hazard).

Wet floors - Use trays to transfer prints from the sink to the drying areas avoiding dripping water/chemicals onto the floor. Don't allow test strips or prints to get into the over-flow section of the sink as this will block the drain and flood.

Use the mop or paper-towels (Preferably already used) to dry up any excess water on the floors (Mop is in the sink room). Serious issues tell your lecturer or the technician. (Slip Hazard). 

Clean up your own clutter and waste - throw paper towels in the bin and keep the area tidy. Work efficiently and tidily. 

Glass- Contact printing sheets. If you use the glass sheets to make contact sheets be aware of where you put them ensuring that they cannot be dropped or shoved onto the floor.

Deficient or broken equipment If anything is broken do not attempt to repair it. Do not use switches with wet fingers - the technician or your lecturer will turn equipment on and off. 

General equipment

We use scalpels, modelling knives and scissors and other sharp tools. These need to be used with care to avoid cutting ourselves. Always cut away from yourself, don't exert too much pressure and slip. Store such tools in safe places. If stored upright do so with the blade pointing down.

Roller dryers - avoid baggy clothes, ties, cuffs or similar getting caught in the rollers.

Studio

Location photography

Lifting and carrying