As a student of Amanda Lee Jones Art Studio, your child will be working with various art materials. While I always work to the best of my ability to ensure exposure to toxic materials does not occur, and I have procedures and precautions in place for times when toxic materials will be handled, there is always a chance that your child may at some point come in contact with a hazardous substance. Even though potential exposure is greatly limited, you should be aware of the risks and safety procedures involved.

Pastels

Your  child  will  be  required  to  complete  one  black  and  white  pastel  drawing  during  the  value  painting  unit.   They  will  also  have  color  pastels  available  for  them  to  use  at  any  time  during  their  drawing  unit.  While  I   do  provide  ACMI  approved  pastels  and  materials*,  and  I  educate  the  students  on  proper  handling,  there  is  a   risk  of  asthma  aggravation  if  the  student  blows  on  the  pastels  and  inhales  the  dust.    

Paints

Most  paints  do  not  contain  metal  pigments  and  are  considered  non-­‐toxic.  (See  last  page  for  a   list  of  toxic  pigments.)  However,  if  there  is  a  paint  color  that  I  recommend  that  is  normally  toxic, such  as chromium  yellow  hue,  there  is  no  (or  too  little  to  be  concerned  about)  toxic  metal  contained  in  the   product.    That  being  said,  I  still  recommend  students  wear  nitrile  gloves  (provided  by  the  studio)  while   handling  paint.  This  is  to  limit  the  chance  of  ingesting  residual  amounts  of  paints that  may  be  left  on  the  hands  after  painting  or  coming  in  contact  with  a  painted  surface.  If  your child  wishes  not  to  wear  gloves  they  must  have  written  permission  on  file  from  the  parents  or  guardians.   Additionally,  if  you  would  like  your  child  to  have  access  to  the  instructor͛s  paint  colors  that  are   made  with  toxic  pigments,  you  must  sign  the  permission  form. 

See  attachment  below.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.html.

Solvents

For those who are worried about  exposure  to  solvents  I  recommend  purchasing  water-­soluble  oil  paints,  which  can  be  used  in conjunction  with  water  instead  of  solvents.  However,   many  students  prefer  the  properties  of  traditional oil  paints  and  have  opted  to  use  them  instead  of  water-soluble  oils.   Students  who  are  using  traditional oil  paints  will  need  to  use  a  solvent  to  clean  their  brushes.  The  solvent  I  provide  is  odorless  mineral spirits  with  a  low  evaporation  rate,  and  is  one  of  the  least  harmful  solvents  available  on  the  market. Hazards  associated  with  using  solvents  include  defatting of  the  skin  and  dermatitis  from  prolonged  or repeated  exposure.  Acute  inhalation  of  high  concentrations  of  mineral  spirits  can  cause  narcosis,  which  can include  symptoms  of  dizziness,  headaches,  drowsiness,  nausea,  fatigue,  loss  of  coordination,  coma,  as  well  as respiratory  irritation.  Chronic  inhalation  of  large  amounts  of  solvents  could  result  in  decreased  coordination, behavioral  changes  and  brain  damage.  Odorless  mineral  spirits,  in  which  the  aromatic  hydrocarbons have  been  removed,  is  less  hazardous.  Ingestion  of  either  turpentine  or  mineral  spirits  can  be  fatal. In the  case  of  mineral  spirits,  this  is  usually  due  to  chemical  pneumonia  caused  by  aspiration  (breathing  in) of the mineral spirits into the lungs after vomiting.

To read more visit:   http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/artsafety/sec10.htm#nwbp

Keep  in  mind,  these  hazards  are  associated  with  extreme  cases,  such  as  directly  and  repeatedly  sniffing  for prolonged  periods  of  time  or  drinking  the  mineral  spirits.  If  you  suspect  your  child  may  do  these  things do  not  recommend  oil  painting  as  an  artistic  outlet.  

If  your  child  has  permission  (see  permission  form)  to  use  mineral  spirits,  there  are  precautions  taken  to   minimize  their  exposure  to  the  material.  Again,  nitrile  gloves  are  provided  for  all  students  and  must  be  worn   unless  permission  is  granted  otherwise.  Students  are  advised  to  keep  the  paint  thinner  jars  closed  when  not  in   use.  Also,  the  studio  is  equipped  with  an  extremely  high  quality  AirMedic+  Vocarb  air  purifier  that  has  a medical-grade  HEPA  filter  and  18 lb  deep-­bed  carbon  activated  filter  to  eliminate more  detailed  information  on  this  filter  you  can  visit www.allerair.com.

If  reasonable  safety  guidelines  are  followed  (i.e. don't  sniff  the  paint thinner),  your  child  can  participate  in  the  joys  of  oil  painting  without  serious  concern.

Please  sign  the  following  release  form  and  return  a  copy  to  Amanda  Lee  Jones  Art  Studio.  

Release  of  Liability 

I,  the  undersigned,  have  been  informed  and  understand  the  health  risks  and  safety  precautions  associated  with  my  child  participating  in  art  classes  at  Amanda  Lee  Jones  Art  Studio,  and  I  release  said  business  and  all  its  officers,  agents,  and  employees  from  any  and  all  liability  associated  health  complications,  personal  injury,  death  or  disability  of  any  kind  of  my  child  or any  other  family  member.  

Signature  of  parent  or  guardian 

Date   

Glove  Permission  Form

I,  ______________________(parent/guardian),  grant  permission for (student/students)  to:

(check  all  that  apply)

[   ]  Handle  their  own  paint  and  related  materials  with  gloves  handle  their  own  paint  and  related  materials  without  gloves  handle  mineral  spirits  with  gloves.

[   ]   Handle  mineral  spirits  without  gloves

[   ]  I have  read  and  understand  the  risks  involved  with  each  option  listed  above.  I  also  understand materials  and  supplies,  and  do  not  hold  Amanda  Lee  Jones  liable  for  any  exposure  to  said  materials,  toxic  or  otherwise.

 Signature  of  Parent  or  Guardian

Date 

 What  do  the  ACMI  Seals  mean?   

The  new  AP  (Approved  Product)  Seal,  with  or  without  Performance  Certification,  identifies  art  materials  that  are  safe  and  that  are  certified  in  a  toxicological  evaluation  by  a  medical  expert  to  contain  no materials  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  toxic  or injurious  to  humans,  including  children,  or  to  cause  acute  or  chronic  health  problems.    This  seal  is  currently  replacing  the  previous  non-­‐toxic  seals:    CP  (Certified  Product),  AP  (Approved  Product),  and  HL  Health  Label  (Non-­‐Toxic)  over  a  10-­‐year  phase-­‐in  period.    Such  products  are  certified  by  ACMI  to  be  labeled  in  accordance  with  the  chronic  hazard  labeling  standard,  ASTM  D  4236,  and  the  U.  S.  Labeling  of  Hazardous  Art  Materials  Act  (LHAMA).  Additionally,  products  bearing  the  AP  Seal  with  Performance  Certification  or  the  CP  Seal  are  certified  to  meet  specific  requirements  of  material, workmanship,  working  qualities,  and  color  developed  by  ACMI  and  others  through  recognized  standards  organizations,  such  as  the  American  National  Standards  Institute  (ANSI)  and  the  American  Society  for  Testing  and  Materials  (ASTM).    Some  products  cannot  attain  this  performance  certification  because  no  quality  standard  currently  exists  for  certain  types  of  products.