Health & Safety

TO INSURE YOUR HEALTH & SAFETY, FOLLOW THESE RULES:

• Keep work surfaces and shelves clean by wiping down with a wet sponge.
• Clean up spills when they occur. Do not allow to dry.
• Keep dust under control at all times.
• Work on a newspaper or paper towel for easy clean up and disposal.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink when working with hazardous ceramic materials. Do not put your brush or brush handle in your mouth!
• Wash your hands before you begin. The natural body oils and salts on the hands may affect the finished piece.
• Any open cuts should be properly covered.
• Wash hands thoroughly when you are through working.
• Use a smock when working with ceramic materials. Wash often and separately from other garments.
• Keep children away from kilns and out of glaze dipping rooms. Only a qualified adult should operate a kiln.
• Children should not use lead-containing glazes or other hazardous ceramic materials.
• Do not intermix dinnerware safe glazes containing lead.
• If pregnant or contemplating pregnancy, tell your physician about your work with ceramics.
• When using solvent-containing ceramic materials, work out doors, in a local exhausting hood or with an exhaust fan. Do not use or store near kilns, other heat sources or an open flame. Dispose of used rags in an airtight metal container.
• Do not spray apply any product.
• Do not fire kilns in an enclosed area. Use a kiln ventilation system. Carbon monoxide fumes can build up and present a danger.
• If you should ingest ceramic products, seek medical help immediately.

A NEAT WORK AREA SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• A table covered with several layers of newsprint and a comfortable chair.
• An old towel under the newsprint-this will cushion the ware.
• Only the products and pieces that you are working with at one time to avoid contaminating other pieces.
• Proper ventilation.

The labels on a product are very important and give you a wealth of information. Read the label for information on proper product use and hazards, if any.

Ceramic hobby glazes are manufactured using a variety of raw materials. Most of the ingredients are mined and extracted from the ground. Some of these materials can be classified as toxic and if misused can be harmful. The key to safe use of all art materials starts with professional education and training.

Non-Toxic Glazes: Non-Toxic glazes are formulated without the addition of lead. They are tested for safety by an independent toxicologist. They meet FDA standards and those for the Arts and Craft Material Institute for which the non-toxic seal is assigned. You can use these glazes and products with confidence and ease. These products contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans or to cause acute or chronic health problems. This does not mean that any less care should be given while handling these products.

Dinnerware Safe (Food-Safe) Glazes: Mayco glazes are formulated to be safely used on surfaces that come into contact with food or drink. 

• If surfaces will come into contact with food or drink, use only glazes that are labeled food or dinnerware safe. Follow label instructions closely.

• Do not mix lead-containing dinnerware safe glazes, as the balance of ingredients in each glaze will be disrupted. Each mixture would have to be re-tested by an approved laboratory to determine if the mixture is also food safe.

• It is the responsibility of anyone making pieces for resale to have them tested by an approved laboratory for lead release.

• Proper firing of dinnerware safe glazes is critical. Use shelf cones on the kiln shelves to insure that the pieces are fired hot enough, even if the kiln is electronically controlled or has an automatic kiln sitter. Always fire in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. If crazed or under fired, these glazes may not be food safe. Too heavy an application of glaze, fast firing or not firing to the proper shelf cone listed on the label may result in a glaze that does not meet the FDA standards.

LEAD AND/OR CADMIUM CONTAINING GLAZES

Lead and cadmium are used in many ceramic glazes. Cadmium is used to produce brilliant reds and yellows. Lead gives a brilliance to the glaze and allows the glazes to mature well at lower firing temperatures (shelf cone 06).

Glazes containing lead and/or cadmium should be handled with respect. The dust from such glazes should not be inhaled. Anyone who is pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should only use these glazes with professional supervision. Use good personal hygiene when working with these types of glazes and keep them out of the reach of children.

SPRAYS, SOLVENTS AND OVERGLAZES

These products are easy to use safely and will present no problems as long as these important rules are observed:

• Containers should be kept tightly closed when not in use.

• Keep out of reach of children.

• Aerosol sprays, solvents and solvent-based overglazes should be used outdoors, with a locally exhausting hood or spray booth or a window exhaust to assure adequate ventilation.

• Do not use near an open flame or heat source.

• Clean up after use and dispose of products properly in a metal container designed for disposal of flammable materials. Contaminated materials can be washed or placed under water until final disposal.