Art

OHS for the Artist

In the past occupational health and safety was only learnt from the mistakes that were brought upon its victims. Pigment paints for example are a hazard to people’s skin on contact and gradually an artist would die from this. Because of lack of knowledge people have leant from these mistakes and we learn to avoid deadly incidents such as these and find ways to keep people safe whistle working on studios.

One common and historic mistake for artists are putting paint brushes in there mouths while they paint. Because of the chemicals left on the brush either paint or turp’s the person would gradually be poisoned. The same principal when people eat in the studio without thoroughly washing there hands. Paint wipes are produced incase people that paint need it to wipe off any paint that gets on them.

Sometimes being poisoned by mediums is as easy as being breathing in the air of poisons in a contained area or being near them. This can cause a person to become irritable and depressed so it affects a person both psychologically and physically. So whenever you spray or use a heavy chemical it must always be in an open area, a fair distance away and you must always wear a face mask. There are many precautions that can go easily ignored without the proper control which is why OHS is established. Theres a list of artists that had died from paint poisioning, however back then it wasn’t identified because they didn’t regonise it back then. One example would be Jay DeFeo whose heath was ruined in the late 50’s.

Bibilography

http://www.avda.ca/

http://www.artsandmedia.net/cgi-bin/dc/expo/2001/08/10_oilpaints

http://www.psych.ucalgary.ca/PACE/VA-Lab/AVDE-Website/VanGogh.htmlhttp://www.myamericanartist.com/2008/05/options-for-oil.html