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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Safely Working with Pigment Powders

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Some pigment powders are relatively safe to use, while other pigments are hazardous. In this story, Jim Hingst recommends the safety procedures that you should follow when using any pigment powder. 


Making your own paint is a relatively easy process. All you need is powdered pigment and a binder. Depending on the type of paint you are making, you have a variety of choices for a binder, including linseed oil, acrylic emulsion, egg yolk and animal hide glue. The one ingredient that is common in all paints is the pigment powder. It is that component which requires the most care in handling.

While many pigment powders are considered safe, quite a few are not. Some pigments contain Cadmium, Lead, Manganese, Cobalt, Nickel, which are hazardous materials. Before working with pigments, carefully read and follow any of the precautions cited in the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheets.

Some of the pigment powders, which are considered safe to use, include Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre and Terre Verte. Raw Umber and Burnt Umber, on the other hand, are toxic. Some pigment powders, such as Naples Yellow, are classified as highly toxic. Vermillion, which contains mercury, is downright poisonous.

Always Wear a Dust Mask or Air Respirator


Breathing pigment dust may result in illness and, in some cases, death. Regardless of pigment type and degree of toxicity, whenever mixing a dry powder, at the very least always wear a NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) N95 certified surgical type of dust mask. This type of mask will filter about 95% of the dust in the air. The problem with a dust mask is that they really don’t fit tightly on your face. The result is that they leak. The wearer breathes dust particles. While a N95 dusk mask is better than nothing, you get much better protection, if you wear an air respirator.

NOTE: NIOSH is the U.S. Government agency responsible for certifying and approving protective respiratory devices used in the workplace.

Always Wear Latex or Nitrile Gloves


You should also get in the habit of always wearing  either latex or nitrile gloves, when handling pigment powders. Wearing gloves prevents toxins from entering your blood stream through any cuts in your skin, however small they may be.




Other Safety Procedures

  • To minimize dust, mix pigment powders very slowly and work in a well ventilated area. 
  • Do not touch your face while you are working with hazardous materials. 
  • Protect your eyes by wearing safety goggles.
  • Do not eat, drink or smoke in your work area when you are mixing pigments.  


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About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 325 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.



© 2015 Jim Hingst

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