Clay and consequences
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Subject Author Date
Clay and consequences Susie Thompson 07-17-2008
Posted by Susie Thompson on July 17, 2008, 4:43 pm
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Hello everybody

I could do with your advice and opinion on something personal that's
happening with me that relates to this group. Last October I was
diagnosed with mild emphysema/COPD. I used to smoke a very little bit
in my twenties (I'm now 61). I was also brought up in a smoking
household, so I can't pin down just one cause from then.

I suspect that a more significant and maybe more likely cause is that
fact that I've worked with clay since I was 12, going on for 50 years
now. Having to do the sums makes me feel just ancient :-(( Years ago
there weren't the knowledge/warnings that clay and ceramic dusts could
give long term problems with lungs. Were there? Clouds of particles
from so many sources - plaster, sanding dry work, metal oxides etc,
mixing glazes, using onglaze and underglaze colours - the list goes on
and on and on. I'm going to have to use masks, take precautions and
listen to good advice from now on - something that the group might come
up with to help me and others.

The diagnosis of emphysema just stopped me in my tracks. I'm only
getting back to work now after several months of being down in the
dumps. My husband has been very supportive, as have friends and family.
Still, when it comes down to it, I'm on my own with this.

I'm not after the sympathy vote at all. But, I do wonder if it is worth
raising the health risk problems in view of where I am now? Young folks
think that they are immortal and invulnerable but perhaps putting up a
warning might be a good idea? Perhaps it's a warning for us all - I was
ignorant of the risk of dust and particles for years and simply didn't
take all the care that obviously I should and could have done. But then
I didn't realise and wasn't warned about the long term consequences all
those years ago.

I'm feeling pretty good at the moment and plan on going back into the
workshop on Sunday morning at around 10.00 am. I'll let you know how I
get along.

Thanks for being there folks.

Susie

--
Susie Thompson


Posted by D Kat on July 17, 2008, 7:21 pm
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> Hello everybody
>
> I could do with your advice and opinion on something personal that's
> happening with me that relates to this group. Last October I was
> diagnosed with mild emphysema/COPD. I used to smoke a very little bit in
> my twenties (I'm now 61). I was also brought up in a smoking household,
> so I can't pin down just one cause from then.
>
> I suspect that a more significant and maybe more likely cause is that fact
> that I've worked with clay since I was 12, going on for 50 years now.
> Having to do the sums makes me feel just ancient :-(( Years ago there
> weren't the knowledge/warnings that clay and ceramic dusts could give long
> term problems with lungs. Were there? Clouds of particles from so many
> sources - plaster, sanding dry work, metal oxides etc, mixing glazes,
> using onglaze and underglaze colours - the list goes on and on and on.
> I'm going to have to use masks, take precautions and listen to good advice
> from now on - something that the group might come up with to help me and
> others.
>
> The diagnosis of emphysema just stopped me in my tracks. I'm only getting
> back to work now after several months of being down in the dumps. My
> husband has been very supportive, as have friends and family. Still, when
> it comes down to it, I'm on my own with this.
>
> I'm not after the sympathy vote at all. But, I do wonder if it is worth
> raising the health risk problems in view of where I am now? Young folks
> think that they are immortal and invulnerable but perhaps putting up a
> warning might be a good idea? Perhaps it's a warning for us all - I was
> ignorant of the risk of dust and particles for years and simply didn't
> take all the care that obviously I should and could have done. But then I
> didn't realise and wasn't warned about the long term consequences all
> those years ago.
>
> I'm feeling pretty good at the moment and plan on going back into the
> workshop on Sunday morning at around 10.00 am. I'll let you know how I
> get along.
>
> Thanks for being there folks.
>
> Susie

I am not snipping this down because I think it is a very important message
and wish it were one we all talked about more.

It is so easy to think that nothing can happen to us - it always happens to
the other guy. I came very close to losing a hand because of that mind set.
I also think it important that it is a regular topic of discussion because
new potters are constantly coming into the field who have no idea that
silica can be as dangerous as asbestos and silica is in just about all
materials that we work with (clay, flint, feldspars, etc.). A studio should
always be cleaned with water and never dry swept. When mixing up glazes or
clay it should be done with a mask and you and your clothes should be washed
afterwards. The fine dust of silica can stay in the air for days - spray
the area with a mister after playing with materials.

Nicotine smoke and fine dust particles interact to be a far greater danger
than either alone and second hand smoke is actually worse than what smokers
inhale.

Yes, we all know potters and smokers who have lived to a ripe old age but
they are not the norm. I like potters - they to me are a special breed of
people. I want to see them all live well and live long.

Donna



Posted by Bob Masta on July 18, 2008, 8:06 am
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wrote:

<snip>
> When mixing up glazes or
>clay it should be done with a mask and you and your clothes should be washed
>afterwards. The fine dust of silica can stay in the air for days - spray
>the area with a mister after playing with materials.

Not trying to be picky here, just want to make clear to any clay
newbies that "mask" is *not* one of those little disposable "dust
masks" they sell in the paint aisle for a buck or two. It should be
what they typically call a "respirator" that covers the bottom half of
your face with an air-tight seal. These have replaceable filter
cartridges rated for various substances. If you buy the unit at your
local hardware store, it will probably come with "Organic vapor/P95"
for paint and pesticides. This is really a 2-stage unit: The vapor
cartridge is the bulky part closest to your face, which is typically
removable via a twist-lock. You don't care too much about this part
for pottery work. Just leave it as-is.

The "P95" is a fuzzy white particulate filter pad that goes over the
cartridge, usually with some sort of simple snap arrangement.
P95 means it is rated to remove 95% of the particulates bigger than
0.3 micron ("fume sized" particles). While that is orders of
magnitude better than a disposable dust mask (those *always* leak air
around the edges), it is recommended that you get a P100 replacement
filter. These remove 99.97% and are also called "HEPA" for High
Efficiency Particulate Air filters. As far as I know they are always
pink, not white. (There are also apparently thinner/chaper N100 and
R100 versions that need replacing more often, but I've never seen
them.) Replacement P100 pads are around $5.00 per pair from on-line
suppliers.

The main thing with a respirator is that it *must* have an air-tight
seal around your face, so that all the air you breathe in comes
through the filters. That requires a soft rubber construction with a
very flexible lip or edge. When you buy a respirator, the
instructions explain how to test for a good seal. Some designs may
work better than others with your particular face shape, especially
for those with beards. If you don't have a good seal, you don't have
a respirator... take it back and try again! (Maybe you could try on a
friend's ahead of time, to see if that model is right for you...
someone who doesn't mind sharing "cooties" with you!)

Best regards,


Bob Masta

DAQARTA v4.00
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com
Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Sound Level Meter
FREE Signal Generator
Science with your sound card!

Posted by D Kat on July 18, 2008, 8:24 am
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Thank you Bob - I just learned a valuable lesson - this will go in my save
file and I will make a trip to the hardware store tomorrow. Donna

> wrote:
>
> <snip>
>> When mixing up glazes or
>>clay it should be done with a mask and you and your clothes should be
>>washed
>>afterwards. The fine dust of silica can stay in the air for days - spray
>>the area with a mister after playing with materials.
>
> Not trying to be picky here, just want to make clear to any clay
> newbies that "mask" is *not* one of those little disposable "dust
> masks" they sell in the paint aisle for a buck or two. It should be
> what they typically call a "respirator" that covers the bottom half of
> your face with an air-tight seal. These have replaceable filter
> cartridges rated for various substances. If you buy the unit at your
> local hardware store, it will probably come with "Organic vapor/P95"
> for paint and pesticides. This is really a 2-stage unit: The vapor
> cartridge is the bulky part closest to your face, which is typically
> removable via a twist-lock. You don't care too much about this part
> for pottery work. Just leave it as-is.
>
> The "P95" is a fuzzy white particulate filter pad that goes over the
> cartridge, usually with some sort of simple snap arrangement.
> P95 means it is rated to remove 95% of the particulates bigger than
> 0.3 micron ("fume sized" particles). While that is orders of
> magnitude better than a disposable dust mask (those *always* leak air
> around the edges), it is recommended that you get a P100 replacement
> filter. These remove 99.97% and are also called "HEPA" for High
> Efficiency Particulate Air filters. As far as I know they are always
> pink, not white. (There are also apparently thinner/chaper N100 and
> R100 versions that need replacing more often, but I've never seen
> them.) Replacement P100 pads are around $5.00 per pair from on-line
> suppliers.
>
> The main thing with a respirator is that it *must* have an air-tight
> seal around your face, so that all the air you breathe in comes
> through the filters. That requires a soft rubber construction with a
> very flexible lip or edge. When you buy a respirator, the
> instructions explain how to test for a good seal. Some designs may
> work better than others with your particular face shape, especially
> for those with beards. If you don't have a good seal, you don't have
> a respirator... take it back and try again! (Maybe you could try on a
> friend's ahead of time, to see if that model is right for you...
> someone who doesn't mind sharing "cooties" with you!)
>
> Best regards,
>
>
> Bob Masta
>
> DAQARTA v4.00
> Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
> www.daqarta.com
> Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Sound Level Meter
> FREE Signal Generator
> Science with your sound card!



Posted by beck on July 18, 2008, 7:07 am
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Thanks for your posting, Susie. I just finished setting up my home studio
and
am a novice potter. I will try to think of your post every time I start to
decide that it's just too hot or uncomfortable to wear the mask/gloves.

Beck

> Hello everybody
>
> I could do with your advice and opinion on something personal that's
> happening with me that relates to this group. Last October I was
> diagnosed with mild emphysema/COPD. I used to smoke a very little bit in
> my twenties (I'm now 61). I was also brought up in a smoking household,
> so I can't pin down just one cause from then.
>
> I suspect that a more significant and maybe more likely cause is that fact
> that I've worked with clay since I was 12, going on for 50 years now.
> Having to do the sums makes me feel just ancient :-(( Years ago there
> weren't the knowledge/warnings that clay and ceramic dusts could give long
> term problems with lungs. Were there? Clouds of particles from so many
> sources - plaster, sanding dry work, metal oxides etc, mixing glazes,
> using onglaze and underglaze colours - the list goes on and on and on.
> I'm going to have to use masks, take precautions and listen to good advice
> from now on - something that the group might come up with to help me and
> others.
>
> The diagnosis of emphysema just stopped me in my tracks. I'm only getting
> back to work now after several months of being down in the dumps. My
> husband has been very supportive, as have friends and family. Still, when
> it comes down to it, I'm on my own with this.
>
> I'm not after the sympathy vote at all. But, I do wonder if it is worth
> raising the health risk problems in view of where I am now? Young folks
> think that they are immortal and invulnerable but perhaps putting up a
> warning might be a good idea? Perhaps it's a warning for us all - I was
> ignorant of the risk of dust and particles for years and simply didn't
> take all the care that obviously I should and could have done. But then I
> didn't realise and wasn't warned about the long term consequences all
> those years ago.
>
> I'm feeling pretty good at the moment and plan on going back into the
> workshop on Sunday morning at around 10.00 am. I'll let you know how I
> get along.
>
> Thanks for being there folks.
>
> Susie
>
> --
> Susie Thompson
>


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