Guidelines for Health and Safety

Unfortunately there aren’t safe alternatives to many of the chemicals that are used in darkrooms. Tracy Kett in The Green Book states that "illness related to our industry include respiratory system diseases such as bronchitis, asthma" allergies, "and emphysema (smokers are susceptible to these); nervous system diseases, which includes dizziness, headaches and memory loss; skin diseases such as dermatitis and skin cancer; reproductive problems; as well as heart and blood defects and irregular menstrual cycle and sperm generation; as well as heart and blood, liver and kidney and bladder diseases."

" The symptoms of these illnesses can appear immediately after exposure to a large amount of toxic material (acute or short-term effect) or years after frequent exposure to small amounts of poisonous substances (chronic or long term effect).

The best way to protect yourself from these hazardous materials is to educate yourself. Learn about the dangers of working with them, the safest way to use them, the proper safety gear to wear and the kind of ventilation system that is required.

DEVELOPER

Hazards
The most common health problems among photographers are caused by developing chemicals. They are skin, eye, and respiratory irritants, and may cause potent allergic reactions. Some developers can be absorbed through the skin that causes toxicity throughout the body. Most developers are moderately to highly toxic by ingestion, and inhalation of developer powders can result on similar effects on the body.

Precautions
Use premixed developer solutions whenever possible to avoid inhalation of toxic powders or contact with concentrated solutions. Avoid highly toxic developers including catechin, pyrogallol, * and para-phnylediamine. Most developers include hydroquinone (but not Kodak XTOL). Mix powered in fume hood, or glove box, or wear a toxic dust mask. Label darkroom solutions carefully.

* Pyrogallic acid is highly toxic by every route of exposure and can also be readily absorbed through the skin. Skin contact can cause severe irritation and allergies. Inhalation of the powder can cause severe acute poisoning with symptoms of cyanosis anemia, convulsions, vomiting, and liver and kidney damage. Ingestion can be fatal. Causes birth defects and other
reproductive damage in experimental animals.

Darkrooms require proper ventilation. A respiratory mask with vapor and powder filters are recommended

Avoid direct skin contact with developers. Never put bare hands into the developer bath. Use tongs to agitate solutions and to pick up prints. Wear gloves and goggles when preparing and handling developing solutions. Gloves should be washed with acidic hand cleaner (such as Phisoderm) and then with water before being removed.

First Aid
For skin splashes, immediately flush affected area with water, for eye splashes flush with water for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention.

STOP BATH

Hazards
Stop bath usually consists of diluted acetic acid derived from pure glacial acetic acid (99.8% minimum) or, more commonly, 28% acetic acid (three parts glacial acetic acid diluted with eight parts water) Concentrated acids are highly corrosive to skin and eyes. Ingestion can cause severe stomach damage and death. In hailing concentrated acids can irritate the respiratory system; acute inhalation may cause chemical pneumonia. Diluted acids are less hazardous, but still may irritate skin eyes and respiratory system. Mixing and diluting acids can be highly dangerous unless handled properly. Adding water to a concentrated acid may cause the liquid to boil and spatter violently in an exothermic (heat producing) reaction. This produces a shower of acetic acid droplets, which greatly increases the risk of acid burns to the skin and eyes.

Acetic Acid (glacial acetic acid) in concentrated form is highly toxic by every route of exposure. It is highly corrosive to skin eyes, respiratory system and stomach. Vinegar is 4% acetic acid vapors from dilute solutions (e.g. stop baths) may cause chronic bronchitis. It is incompatible with chromic acid, nitric acid, many amines, and other chemicals. Store glacial acetic acid separately. Tartaric Acid (racemic acid) is moderately toxic by skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion.

Sodium sulfate from the developer, if carried over into the stop bath, will combine with acetic acid to form highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas.

Precautions
Darkrooms require good ventilation to control the level of acid vapors and gasses. Keep acid baths covered when not in use to reduce evaporation of gases.

Use water rinse step between developer and stop bath whenever possible to reduce the formation of sulfur dioxide gas. Discard Stop solutions that have been contaminated with developer.

First Aid
Acid-splashes require immediate flushing with water. For eye splashes, flush for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention. If strong acid is ingested, do not induce vomiting. Call your poison control center immediately and tell them the exact name of the acid and the estimated
amount ingested. Have container label and Material Safety Data Sheet at hand.

FIX
Most fix contain thiosulfate fixing agent or "hypo", which acts as a silver halide solvent; a weak acid to neutralize the alkaline developer solution; and sodium sulfate as a preservative to inhibit the formation of colloidal sulfur. In addition, acid hardening fixer bathes generally contain potassium alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) as a hardener and boric acid as a buffer and anti-sludging agent.

Hazards
Sodium thiosulfate powder is not significantly hazardous by skin contact. The main hazard of a fixing solution is the inhalation hazard that occurs the bath is heated of left standing, causing the sodium thiosulfate to decompose to release highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas, which can cause lung damage. Ammonium thiosulfate will also decompose to produce sulfur dioxide
gas. Contaminating the fixer with acid from the stop bath can accelerate the generation of sulfur dioxide gas If fix is heated or allowed to stand for long periods water or acid, sodium sulfate also will decompose to form highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas. Always rinse out all fix containers when empty.

Sodium sulfate is not a significantly toxic by skin contact, but is moderately toxic by inhalation and ingestion. Inhalation can irritate the respiratory system. Ingestion in small amounts can result in gastric irritation. Large doses can cause severe colic, diarrhea, circulatory disorders and central nervous system depression. Alum is irritation to skin and may cause skin allergies in some individuals.

Precautions
Cover fix between printing sessions to prevent evaporation and decomposition. Do not heat. Make sure the adequate ventilation for the fixing bath, preferably local exhaust such as fume hood or slot exhaust hood, or at least good dilution ventilation. Store away from acids.

HYPO CLEAR

Hypo clearing agents and similar washing agents are not significantly toxic.

Precautions
Practice good hygiene

TONERS

Take extreme care when working with toner chemicals--- ammonium and ferric alum, gold and platinum chloride to name a few---, as they are highly toxic. Always use gloves and respiratory mask with vapor filters to avoid breathing fumes and contact with skin.

COLOUR PROCESSING
More complex and more hazardous than black-and white processing. Chemicals are similar to black and white chemicals but also contain dye couplers, glycol ethers and benzyl alcohol, para-phenylene diamine, succinaldehyde, sulphamic acid.

Hazards
Skin and respiratory irritation and allergies; eye irritation; lung damage; birth defects; reproductive damage; paraphnylene diamine can cause poisoning and severe skin problems through inhalation, skin contact, and absorption and ingestion; when heated sulphamic acid creates highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas.

Precautions
Proper ventilation is crucial.

INSTANT FILM CHEMICALS

Hazards
Instant films (i.e. Polaroid) use a highly caustic alkaline processing jelly (containing sodium or potassium hydroxide) which can remain on the edges of the film and negative for a couple of hours. This is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. If ingested, damage tot the mouth and esophagus can be extreme.

Precautions
Use gloves when peeling apart film and immediately dispose of the non-print portion.

Above information comes from the Overexposure Health Hazards in Photography by Susan D. Shaw and Monona Rossol, 2nd edition. Allworth Press. New York, NY, 1991 and from The Green Book, A guide to how photographers and illustrators can lessen the impact on the environment by Tracy Kett.

Gloves and masks area available at Aboveground Art Supplies.
Replace your mask’s filters regularly.

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