Studio Safety Program
Art materials, equipment and processes can present a range of health and safety risks to artists. Art safety at Montgomery College focuses on recognizing and preventing potential hazards by ensuring proper ventilation, using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and following safe practices when working with tools and chemicals. Essential safety steps include reviewing Safety Data Sheets (SDS), using ventilation when handling materials that produce fumes, and always wearing gloves and goggles. Eating or smoking in studios should be avoided, and work areas must remain clean and organized. In addition, maintaining good ergonomics, using equipment correctly, and being prepared for emergencies are key to creating a safe and healthy art environment.
The Studio Safety Standards below outlines some of the most common hazards found in disciplines such as drawing and painting, woodworking, metalworking, ceramics, and photography. It also includes guidance on the proper handling and disposal of art-related waste materials to ensure a safe and environmentally responsible studio practice.
Roles and Responsibilities
All faculty, staff, and students share the responsibility of maintaining a safe environment for themselves and others. To ensure compliance and uphold these standards, the following roles are designated with the authority to implement and enforce the Art Discipline Safety Standards.
- The overall responsibility for studio safety compliance rests with the Dean and his/her designees.
- Department-specific responsibilities for studio safety compliance rest with the Chair.
- Approve, implement, and communicate all studio safety policies and procedures.
- Implement and execute safe practices.
- Ensure adequate and appropriate training regarding studio safety policies and procedures.
- Implement and execute general and area-specific studio safety policies and procedures.
- Determine adequate and appropriate training, in consultation with the Lab Manager, regarding Area-specific studio safety policies and procedures for faculty and students.
- Review syllabi for safety issues and coordinate activities within the area.
- Arrange safety orientation as applicable regarding visiting artists and workshops.
- Comply with College and Art Discipline studio safety standards.
- Report incidents to Chair and/or Dean, and copy Lab Manager.
- Review the General Studio Safety Policies and Procedures
- Review the Emergency Evacuation Plan with students.
- Operate all classes within the general and area-specific studio safety policies and procedures.
- Arrange and provide training for students.
- Comply with Area-specific Studio Safety Policies and Procedures.
- Enforce the studio safety policies and procedures.
- Keep up-to-date inventory of hazardous materials.
- Instructors are responsible for developing and recommending new policies and procedures when needed - based on new course content, materials, and/or new equipment.
- Serve as a role model of good safety practices.
- Assure the safe and appropriate use, storage and disposal of materials in studios.
Report all incidents to Area Coordinator and/or Chair with a copy to the Lab Manager.
- Assist in research and recommend all studio safety policies and procedures.
- Enforce all studio safety policies and procedures in the absence of an instructor.
- Design and provide face-to-face and/or online training to all full-time and part-time faculty.
- Perform annual Area audits.
- Supervise student monitors and provide appropriate training.
- Comply with Area-specific procedures.
- Enforce all studio safety policies and procedures in the absence of an instructor.
- Comply with Area-specific procedures.
- Monitor student activities for compliance with all studio safety policies and procedures during scheduled monitor hours.
- Provide supervision of students within the assigned studio classroom.
- Report incidents to Lab manager.
- Comply with Area-specific procedures.
- Exercise care and adhere to general and area-specific studio safety policies and procedures within the classroom.
- Report incidents to supervisor (instructor or student monitor).
General Studio Safety Standards
The following Studio Safety Policies are applicable to ALL studio classrooms:
Open Studio schedules are posted on the doors. Students are only permitted in the
studios during approved Open Studio hours.
- Only currently enrolled students are permitted in studio classes.
- All materials/supplies that are either college provided or individually provided by a student, faculty or staff, must be included in Right to Know Stations and added to Inventory Excel Sheets.
- OSHA Right-To-Know Stations are available for students, faculty and staff for reference in every studio.
- Band-Aids/basic first aid can be found in the First Aid Kit and must be self-administered.
Do's
- Observe all safety precautions.
- Observe all posted signs and instructions.
- Use only supplies, tools, and equipment approved by your instructor.
- Wear appropriate footwear.
- Clean up any spills immediately.
- Clean up after yourself at the end of class and Open Studio.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), as instructed.
Don'ts
- Do not consume food in Studio/labs.
- Do not enter Studio under influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Do not bring weapons of any kind.
- Do not use cell phone in class.
- Do not record the instructor without permission.
Risk Levels and Studio Area Specific Safety Standards
The Montgomery College visual arts discipline has assessed the risk of all hazards within all programs to control and mitigate potential exposure to students, faculty, and staff, with a commitment to maintaining safe welcoming instructional spaces. Students are introduced to myriads of processes, tools, and materials to meet expressed course objectives. Each studio space is assigned a risk level of 1, 2, and 3 based on the likelihood of hazard exposure and the severity of potential harm. A hierarchy of controls are applied to eliminate and substitute hazards where possible; utilize engineering controls for fume/ dust extraction and machine guarding; and administrative controls. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are required when it is believed that participants could be exposed to hazards.
- Level 1: Instructional processes and operating conditions are such that user error, classroom environment, facility design deficiencies, component failure or procedural deficiencies will result in no, or less than minor injury or illness.
- Level 2: Instructional processes and operating conditions may cause minor injury or illness such that user error, classroom environment, facility design deficiencies, or component failure or procedural deficiencies can be prevented or controlled without severe injury, illness or major equipment damage.
- Level 3: Instructional processes and operating conditions are such that user error, classroom environment, facility design deficiencies, or component failure or procedural deficiencies may cause severe injury, illness or equipment damage thereby requiring immediate corrective action and/or medical attention.
Risk Level 1 designated studios
Risk Level 2 Designated Studios
Risk Level 3 Designated Studios
Art Studio Wastes
Painting, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics studios use hazardous materials and produce chemical waste. The activities conducted in these spaces are comparable to those in teaching laboratories and are therefore subject to the same safety and environmental regulations. Artists, instructional associates, and art students must remain aware of the hazards associated with their work and ensure that all chemical waste is managed and disposed of properly.
Painting produces various types of chemical waste, including leftover paints and thinners, used solvents, rags and towels saturated with paints or thinners, and empty or partially used aerosol cans.
Waste Thinners/Paint:
- Linseed oil has a potential for fire.
- Use a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) container for collecting waste. If you need an appropriate container, contact PHES for assistance. Do not use empty milk jugs, soda bottles, or other food and beverage containers. You may reuse the original container in which the thinners or solvents were shipped.
- May be mixed with solvents and linseed oil for disposal purposes.
- Apply a chemical waste label to the container.
- Wear splash goggles and appropriate chemical protective gloves
- Add liquid waste using a large funnel. Perform all liquid waste bulking in an operating fume hood. Remove funnel and seal the container.
- Store the container in a secondary containment bin
Waste Full/Partial Cans and Aerosol Cans:
- Oil-based paints are considered hazardous waste
- Use a sturdy cardboard box
- Apply waste label to the side of the box
- Place waste cans in box
- Latex paints can be dried out and may be placed in regular trash
Paint and Thinner Contaminated Materials:
- Use a steel safety can designated for storing flammables materials or a metal pail with lid
- Line the container with a trash bag
- Place a waste label on the outside of the container
- Add the solvent soaked rags and close the lid
- When container is full, seal and remove bagged waste. Move to central waste storage area. Apply waste label to the outside of the bag with date.
Contact PHES to schedule the waste pick up.
Ceramics and sculpture activities produce various types of chemical waste, including leftover glazes, dry ceramic materials, acids, and oils.
Waste Glazes and Dry Ceramic Material:
- Some ceramic glazes contain metals that are considered hazardous waste
- Place the waste glazes into the original container or other sturdy plastic container
- Apply waste label to container
- Use a secondary container to store the waste glaze
Cutting Oils and Other Waste Oils:
- Use a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) container for collecting waste. If you need an appropriate container, contact PHES for assistance. Do not use empty milk jugs, soda bottles, or other food and beverage containers. You may reuse the original container in which the oils were shipped.
- Apply waste label to the side of the container
- Wear splash goggles and appropriate gloves
- Store the container in secondary containment bin
Waste Acids:
- Materials with a pH of less than 2 or more than 12.5 are considered hazardous waste when disposed.
- Do not mix these wastes together or with solvents or oil wastes. Dangerous reactions may occur.
- Use a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or glass container for collecting waste. If you need an appropriate container, contact PHES for assistance. Do not use empty milk jugs, soda bottles, or other food and beverage containers. You may reuse the original container in which the acids were shipped.
- Apply waste label to the side of the container
- Wear splash goggles and appropriate gloves
- Store the container in secondary containment bin
Contact PHES to schedule the waste pick up.
Printmaking processes generate several types of chemical waste, such as solvent-based and non-solvent-based inks, as well as rags and towels contaminated with solvents.
Solvent Soaked Towels
- Use a steel safety can designated for storing flammables materials or a metal pail with lid
- Line the container with a trash bag
- Place a waste label on the outside of the container
- Add the solvent soaked rags and close the lid
- When container is full, seal and remove bagged waste.
- Move to central waste storage area. Apply waste label to the outside of the bag with date.
Waste Degreasers and Solvents:
- Use a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) container for collecting waste. If you need an appropriate container, contact PHES for assistance. Do not use empty milk jugs, soda bottles, or other food and beverage containers. You may reuse the original container in which the degreaser or solvents were shipped.
- Apply waste label to the side of the container
- Wear splash goggles and appropriate gloves
- Store the container in secondary containment bin
Waste Inks:
- Place the waste ink into the original container or other sturdy plastic container
- Place the containers into a cardboard box
- Apply waste label to the outside of the box
Contact PHES to schedule the waste pick up.
Photography activities produce various chemical wastes, including spent photographic solutions and discarded film materials.
Photographic Solutions Wastes:
- Most fixers contain silver and should be collected
- Use a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) container for collecting waste. If you need an appropriate container, contact PHES for assistance. Do not use empty milk jugs, soda bottles, or other food and beverage containers. You may reuse the original container in which the photographic solutions were shipped.
- Apply waste label to the side of the container
- Wear splash goggles and appropriate gloves
- Store the container in secondary containment bin
Waste Films:
- Place waste films into the original or other sturdy plastic container.
- Place containers into a cardboard box.
- Apply waste label to the side of the box.
Contact PHES to schedule the waste pick up.