2

Safety
Had I more time, this letter would be shorter. Voltaire

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Safety in and around a ceramics laboratory is by far the most

important topic this book will address. Though brief, this is an important
chapter that is worth your while to read and remember.

Ceramic Laboratory Hazards

A few years ago, a survey was conducted that compared the hazard
potential of various types of laboratories. I wonder which laboratory type
a reader would consider being most dangerous: a chemical lab involving
daily work with poisons and corrosive acids, an electronic lab involving
daily work with high voltages, a heat treatment lab involving daily work
with red-hot metals, or a ceramics lab. Interestingly, a ceramics lab was the
most dangerous of all labs surveyed. The ceramics lab contains work done
on a daily basis at all the non-ceramics labs. Additionally, a ceramics lab
is equipped with heavy, high-speed machinery, presses with high tonnages,
and gas kilns that may explode.

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18 Ceramic Technology and Processing

Ways to Avoid Accidents

One should constantly think about safe working conditions in the

lab. Some of these safe working conditions can be organized into safety
inspections with frequent follow up. These inspections create a check list
of problems that must be corrected immediately. In the author's lab, there
was the following rule: No one has to work at a task that he/she considers
to be unsafe, and there should not be any criticism to the individual
involved. Before the individual can go on with the task, the problem in
question has to be addressed and corrected to the individual's satisfaction.
This was a good rule that made all accidents unconscionable.
A good book to read and constantly reference is Prudent Practices
in the Laboratory, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. The book
contains the following nine chapters:
1. The Culture of Laboratory Safety,
2. Prudent Planning of Experiments,
3. Evaluating Hazards and Assessing Risks in the Laboratory,
4. Management of Chemicals,
5. Working with Chemicals,
6. Working with Laboratory Equipment,
7. Disposal of Waste,
8. Laboratory Facilities, and
9. Governmental Regulation of Laboratories.

Codes

Many crafts have codes that regulate the way the work is to be
executed. Codes dictate the standards in each trade and are the best source
of information for each trade. Often, these codes are legal requirements. If
these codes are not observed, there could be resulting charges and fines.
The supervisor's job is to diplomatically make sure that the appropriate
codes are being followed to ensure safety for everybody.
 Safety 19

Safety Check List

The safety check list is given below. Observe the following safety
rules when working in the ceramics laboratory:
• organize periodic critical safety inspections;
• have both internal and external inspections;
• become an advocate on safety precautions;
• adopt a rule that no one has to work in a situation they consider
unsafe;
• observe the precautions in the book, Prudent Practices in the
Laboratory; and
• follow the required codes.