MSDS

MSDS, which is a guideline for use and interaction with certain substances and chemicals, can be a great thing to read and review before working with chemicals such as those in the dark room. Through my research I have gained a better understanding of what MSDS really is. Prior to this class, I had reviewed MSDS in a ceramics class, because in that class we were also working with various chemicals when mixing and glazing bisque wear pots. Anyways, by reviewing MSDS here, I found it evident that MSDS is a serious issue that a person working with various chemicals should first read over. All people working with chemicals such as those in a dark room should take serious precautions, and be aware of the side effects and things that can take place when introduced to chemicals. According to wikepedia, "MSDS are a widely used system for cataloging information on chemicals, chemical compounds, and chemical mixtures. MSDS information may include to instructions for the safe use and potential hazards associated with a particular material or product (various authors of wikepedia). As we learned in class, various chemicals can cause side effects such as severe asthma. This really caught my eye because my history with asthma hasn't been the best experiences throughout my lifetime. If any of these things occur, as MSDS states, you should immediately distance yourself from the substance you're exposing yourself to. I also saw that the chemicals used in dark rooms can cause skin irritations over time if you continue to expose yourself to them. I guess this may be common sense, because those chemicals probably shouldn't come in contact with the human skin. As MSDS sheets may be hard to read, I found this to be a good tutorial for beginners.  Take a look at this tutortial on MSDS "sheet reading" on youtube.com here. Well, thats all folks. Good luck on reading and understanding MSDS sheets. Hope this helped-- and remember, Chemical safety is vital if you're working with chemicals your not familiar with and that can be hazardous!

1/12/11

by Kiana

Delete