Workshop Health and Safety

Goldsmiths work with metals. Our bodies react to metals, their dusts, salts and oxides. The metals that jewelers come in...

Goldsmiths and silversmiths use hammers frequently in their work, silversmiths especially. A regular trade goldsmith might use a bench hammer...

The "General Safety Rules for Tools" article applies here too, as with all power tools. Read the instruction manuals and...

Here's something to aim for: a well laid-out, orderly workshop, well-lit by multiple non glare light sources, well-maintained equipment, electrically...

Because titanium behaves somewhat differently than the standard metals in the goldsmith's workshop some special attention to its working is...

Sand casting is used extensively for large-scale casting, such as engine blocks, and the grates that one sees around trees...

Jewelers use so-called -oxidising- solutions to darken metals like silver, copper, brass, nickel silver, bronze and, with specialized mixtures, on...

Enameling involves the firing and melting of suitable glasses onto and into metals for decorative effects. It is done at...

Ventilation means removing noxious materials, dusts and fumes from where you can breathe them in. It is about taking away...

To learn the art of inlay, its best to start with the basics. This project will walk you through the...

In every aspect of my daily life I am, and have been for quite some time, concerned with promoting and...

Dust is small particles of a material. There are dusts you can see in the air; these can be breathed...

This talk briefly reviews issues of studio safety and discusses ways of recognizing risks in the studio and reducing hazard...

Besides the safety instructions that you get from a tool manufacturer in the tool manual it may be necessary for...

Goldsmiths sometimes do a little rough and ready lapidary work with emery and leather sticks or even polishing compounds on...

Many craftspeople have posture and body position problems. Ramazzini, the founder of occupational medicine and author of a groundbreaking book...

Very little research has been done on the medical problems of artists as a direct result of occupational health hazards....

Aim for: a well laid-out, orderly workshop, well-lit by multiple non glare light sources, well-maintained equipment, electrically and fire safe,...

Gloves are used to prevent skin contact with a hazard, whether physical (like a razor edge on a piece of...

This article briefly reviews issues of studio safety and discusses ways of recognizing risks in the studio and reducing hazard...

Goldsmiths began to use hydraulic presses in small shops in the 1940s in North America. Factories have used hydraulic presses...

A selection of illustration showing an efficient home-made soldering venting system.

Before you submit any jewelry item to a lab to test for heavy metals, you're going to need to do...

Dermatitis is a group of skin conditions that may often be contracted by exposure to chemicals and metals. These may...

Applying liquid gold, palladium and/or silver in the final firing of enamel pieces is something that can frequently raise the...

Four areas in the jeweler's workshop produce harmful substances that MUST be properly removed from the shop in order to...

Granulation, a technique used in jewelry and metalwork, is the decorative use of minute metal granules attached to the surface...

Asbestos is a real problem for jewelers. When I was first a student in 1974, we had a bucket of...

Have a fire plan; ask your fire department for advice. Keep the appropriate extinguishers around and in good shape. Get...

Jewelers work with compressed gases of all kinds, in torch systems, kilns, casting machines, abrasive blasters, laser welding machines needing...

An ancient system of working metals, this procedure uses steel punches to manipulate the metal while it is fixed onto...

You start to turn and there it is again. You go to stand up from your chair and it happens...

Noise is so common that we don't tend to think of it in terms of exposure in the same way...

Carpal tunnel syndrome is only one of many kinds of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) and cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). RSI,...

There are a number of basic principles in storing chemicals. Know what your chemicals are, what their hazards are, their....

How you light your shop, illuminate your working area, experience the reflection from surfaces and the paint you choose for...

  You pride yourself on your pristine shop. Your equipment is laid out for maximum efficiency, your tools are stored...

Do not get caught in the dark - make certain your shop is well lit. In the jewelry shop, two...

Often craftspeople start out making craft objects in their living space, a kitchen, a living room, and sometimes continue working...

While it is clearly impossible to give a set of rules for each tool and procedure that goldsmiths use, this...

If you know what the chemicals are that you use and what their dangers are you will be less likely...

Take a look around you. Chances are there is a flex-shaft or a dust collector you've neglected because you've been...

When you work with materials as valuable as precious metals and gemstones, you need to take measures to keep them...

When looking at your shop and workspace and considering safety issues it is important to evaluate the procedures you use...

This paper describes a process that eliminated fire scale during a vacuum casting cycle. Castings should not have a fire...

My finishing techniques are up close and personal. The majority of my polishing work is done at the same proximity...

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1986 Winter), “Health Hazards”, discussing questions from readers and...

In the course of my 30 years in the jewelry industry, I can recall many instances of damaged equipment and...

Just as a professional would do, it may be a good idea to conduct a walk-through of your shop. The...

After writing my recent safety book something unexpected happened. I had a number of calls from lawyers about safety issues....

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1985 Summer), “Health Hazards”, discussing questions from readers and...

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1983 Fall), "Health Hazards", discussing questions from readers and...

Jewelry manufacturers are no strangers to workplace hazards. The process of transforming raw metals into finished pieces of jewelry can...

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1984 Summer), “Health Hazards”, discussing questions from readers about ...

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1984 Spring), “Health Hazards”, discussing questions from readers about...

This is the second in a two-part series on green bench tips shared by jewelers who are taking another approach...

This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1983 Summer), "Health Hazards", discussing questions from readers and...