Potential Health Hazards of Sculptors’ Materials

Leonardo, Vol. 4, pp. 381-384. Pergamon Press 1971. Printed in Great Britain POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS OF SCULPTORS’ MATERIALS* Jerome T. Siedlecki** The sculptor uses a variety of materials, tools, and processes. He may carve directly in wood or stone. For modeling,he may usesuchmaterialsasclay,wax or plasticine, plaster, cement, and polyester and epoxy resins. He may reproduce a casting through the use of a sand mold or do shell casting and investment molding. He may weld and braze, using all sorts of scrap metal, or cut, grind, and form metal to desired shapes. Each of these processes presents a potentially hazardous environment depending upon the character, intensity, and duration of exposure. STONE SCULPTURING A possible health hazard to sculptors working with stone (chipping or grinding) is the risk of silicosis. Only fine dust containing free crystalline silica(silicondioxidein the free state)in the form of quartz, cristobalite, or tridymite inhaled in high concentrationsfor considerableperiods of time can produce silicosis. The toxic property of the silica causes destruction of lung tissue. When sufficient destruction occurs, the lung loses its elasticity and does not function normally [l]. Prevention of silicosisisusuallyby exhaustventilation. Wherethis is impractical, the individual should wear a respiratory mask approved for toxic dusts. Examplesof stoneswhich contain a high concentration of free silica are quartz (100 per cent), sandstone, granite, and onyx. Such stones as diabase,dolomite,travertine,soapstone,andserpentine may contain low concentrations of free silica. Alabaster, jade, lepidolite, fluorite, malachite, and lapis lazuli generally do not contain any free silica. Some marbles and limestone may contain sufficient quantities of free silica to require control measures * This Document is the section entitled ‘Sculpture’ in the author’s article‘PotentialHealth Hazards of MaterialsUsed by Artists and Sculptors’ in The Journal of the American Medical Association 204, 1176 (1968). It presents certain aspectsnot covered in the article‘Healthand SafetyHazards of Art Materials’by G. A. AgostoninLeonardo2,373 (1969). Permissionto publishthistext,givenby the author and by the AmericanMedical Association,is gratefullyacknowledged. **Departmentof OccupationalHealth,AmericanMedical Association, 535 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610, U.S.A. (Received 15July 1970.) when chipping or grinding to prevent inhalation of the fine dust. The sculptor should determine the composition of the stone he chooses for carving. Often, names of stones are rather loosely applied. For example, the term ‘marble’ is sometimes used for ornamental stoneswhichare not inthe limestone family. There are possible health hazards with the use of pneumatic tools. Greater concentrations of fine dustareproduced,increasingthepotentialofsilicosis if the dust contains a high percentage of free silica. A condition known as ‘dead fingers’ or ‘white fingers’ may develop when the fingers are held in a strained position and chilled at the same time. In addition, the exhaust air from air-driven tools may produce a noise of sufficientintensity to cause loss of hearingwith prolonged exposure. Thepneumatic tool should be designed so that the exhaust air is muffled to reduce the noise intensity and is driven away from the hands. Thehandle of the tool should be comfortable for the size of the hand and fingers. WOOD SCULPTURING The wood sculptor has a choice of a variety of woods for carving. Some woods, particularlythose not handled previously, may cause dermatitis. A few, such as East Indian satinwood and South Americanboxwood, are toxic. Several are primary irritants, such as cocobolo. A large number may produce allergic manifestations in a sensitized individual. Examples of such woods are certain members of the birch, pine, dogwood, beech, mahogany,and myrtle families. MODELING Some of the claysused for modelingmay contain free silica. Grinding or sanding of dry clays can result in dust concentrations of sufficiently high quantity to require respiratory protection. At times, toxic pigments such as lead chromate are added to the clays. Quartz sometimes is added to plaster of paris for added resistance for modeling. Asbestos is used at times as a binder for strength and added adhesion. Prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers may lead to a disabling lung con381 382 Jerome T. Siedlecki dition. There is no hazard when these materials are handled wet. The potential hazard is only from inhalation of dust. There may be allergic manifestations from handling some of the other binders (sisal, hemp, jute, or animal hair...