[Clayart] sand and health

[Terry Lazaroff]

Ron;

It it much like this in China today. I have seen potters knee deep in dry clay. The pots are almost dry when they trim. On top of that, there is a cigarette hanging on their lip.

Terry

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 17, 2020, at 5:32 PM, ronroy at ca.inter.net wrote:
> 
> Hi Joseph,
> 
> How much more interesting pottery is if we study the chemistry and workings of our craft.
> 
> There was a story I read somewhere that during the time - in England when pottery workers were getting silicosis and dying - they started using wet silica. Even using damp cornwall stone to cut down airborne silica. It helped but there was still a problem. The throwers were still wiping their hands on a cloth over their lap. The clay would dry and would become air borne though movement and hand wiping and the silica would become airborne and rise up from body heat. The throwers and those working around them were still getting silicosis.
> 
> I also saw a photograph of workers somewhere near Philadelphia - after they had unloaded a rail car full of silica. They were completely white - covered in powdered silica - posing with their shovels.
> 
> RR
> 
> 
> Quoting Joseph Herbert <josephherbert827 at gmail.com>:
> 
>> Hey, Ron
>> Good point, I was not addressing the health implications at all.
>> The worst situation for injury is dry machine crushing (or any mechanical
>> operation, like sieving) of silica containing material.  Yields small sharp
>> particles, easily airborne, easily inhaled.
>> In lots of operations, and in studios, a primary operation is carried out
>> wet (diamond sawing, say) and the fine particles are not airborne.
>> However, if the slurry is not contained, it will dry and if human or
>> vehicle traffic is present, the fines are launched into the air.
>> We all need to be more mindful of dust !
>> Joe
> 
> 
> 
> Ron Roy
> ronroy at ca.inter.net
> Web page ronroy.net