H+S with Bone and Horn
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ehm, more treat it as a biohazard. Folks get anthrax and the like from stuff like that.
True story this. I was working in Glasgow, and the Pollok Fold of Highland cattle were on the scene. I spoke for a while with the fellow who managed/keepered them. He gave me some of their combings and I spun it up for him. The calves 'wool' is honey coloured and much softer than the hair on the adults.
Anyway, I eyed up those beautiful long horns, and he said that even though these beasts had the best of care, good vetinary services, etc., were pretty much as disease free as they could be, when they died or were put down, they had to be incinerated, because the horns were not considered 'safe' to use.....but crafts folks were importing dirty horns from the Indian subcontinent and the far east from buffalo and goats, while these beautiful ones go to waste. He said then that diseases such as anthrax, which is what killed the fellow who made drums and had been working with imported skins, were now much more likely because of this.
So, I think I'd find out about them as a biohazard.
Bone dust has been considered a food for a long while...bone meal still gets added to animal food, and gardens. I know an old farmer who claimed he ate the stuff as a child, and he grew hale and hearty.
I do know that when I made bone needles and Himself sanded them smooth, the blasted cat was all over us, so presumably it has an appeal.
I don't know how it'd do inside lungs though. Not well I suspect.
Antler used to be ground up for it's mineral content and added to vinegar to make a raising agent for light baking (hartshorn).
True story this. I was working in Glasgow, and the Pollok Fold of Highland cattle were on the scene. I spoke for a while with the fellow who managed/keepered them. He gave me some of their combings and I spun it up for him. The calves 'wool' is honey coloured and much softer than the hair on the adults.
Anyway, I eyed up those beautiful long horns, and he said that even though these beasts had the best of care, good vetinary services, etc., were pretty much as disease free as they could be, when they died or were put down, they had to be incinerated, because the horns were not considered 'safe' to use.....but crafts folks were importing dirty horns from the Indian subcontinent and the far east from buffalo and goats, while these beautiful ones go to waste. He said then that diseases such as anthrax, which is what killed the fellow who made drums and had been working with imported skins, were now much more likely because of this.
So, I think I'd find out about them as a biohazard.
Bone dust has been considered a food for a long while...bone meal still gets added to animal food, and gardens. I know an old farmer who claimed he ate the stuff as a child, and he grew hale and hearty.
I do know that when I made bone needles and Himself sanded them smooth, the blasted cat was all over us, so presumably it has an appeal.
I don't know how it'd do inside lungs though. Not well I suspect.
Antler used to be ground up for it's mineral content and added to vinegar to make a raising agent for light baking (hartshorn).
I work in construction and silica dust is rated as being particularly bad but even wood dust from circular saws, routers and sanding is bad for you.
We are now having to use class M extraction when we use these kind of tools on wood inside buildings.
Sanding drywall isn't rated as bad and if I remember right you are allowed to use class L extraction.
Extraction is becoming "A Big Thing" in construction after years of it being virtually ignored and I've had to fork out the best part of seven hundred quid to get ahead of the game.
Whilst I don't know about bone and horn specifically I reckon its safe to say that there's no such thing as high levels of dust thats good for you and if your working in a dusty environment its greatly beneficial to use a decent face fit mask.
The masks with only one strap are useless and really shouldn't be sold.
I'm sure there are enough people out there who will tell you they smoked anthrax laden Woodbines through asbestos filters and haven't died yet but dust can cause some pretty nasty complaints so its worth protecting your lungs.
We are now having to use class M extraction when we use these kind of tools on wood inside buildings.
Sanding drywall isn't rated as bad and if I remember right you are allowed to use class L extraction.
Extraction is becoming "A Big Thing" in construction after years of it being virtually ignored and I've had to fork out the best part of seven hundred quid to get ahead of the game.
Whilst I don't know about bone and horn specifically I reckon its safe to say that there's no such thing as high levels of dust thats good for you and if your working in a dusty environment its greatly beneficial to use a decent face fit mask.
The masks with only one strap are useless and really shouldn't be sold.
I'm sure there are enough people out there who will tell you they smoked anthrax laden Woodbines through asbestos filters and haven't died yet but dust can cause some pretty nasty complaints so its worth protecting your lungs.
Not a good idea to inhale an organic compond (horn or bone dust) as it may trigger an immune response.
Not sure about wood, but I cough a lot (more) when I sand wood without a face mask.
Toddy, in Sweden we still use something called Hjorthornssalt, translated to Deer Antler Salt.
Synthetic these days. Less ’raise’ than baking powder. Used mainly in thin, dry cakes/cookies.
Not sure about wood, but I cough a lot (more) when I sand wood without a face mask.
Toddy, in Sweden we still use something called Hjorthornssalt, translated to Deer Antler Salt.
Synthetic these days. Less ’raise’ than baking powder. Used mainly in thin, dry cakes/cookies.
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When it comes to H&S in the UK, its often a good idea to have a look on the UK HSE Website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/dust/index.htm
They are the masters of H&S in the UK afterall!
Most dusts (and other hazardous substances) have local "exposure limits" set in the UK, EU countries, USA etc. which should be adhered to in order to minimise risk of effects. Breathing any dusts in is not good for you. The UK HSE Document linked here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm (click the free copy link)
defines many UK Exposure limits. Just search through it for "dust" for some examples. e.g Cotton dust, wool dust, wood dust, etc
It also says:
"Dust - The COSHH definition of a substance hazardous to health includes dust of any kind when present at a concentration in air equal to or greater than 10 mg.m
-3, 8-hour TWA of inhalable dust or 4 mg.m-3 8-hour TWA of respirable dust. This means that any dust will be subject to COSHH if people are exposed above these
levels. Some dusts have been assigned specific WELs and exposure to these must comply with the appropriate limit."
Plus all the above comments above about unknown hazards such as biohazards.
They are the masters of H&S in the UK afterall!
Most dusts (and other hazardous substances) have local "exposure limits" set in the UK, EU countries, USA etc. which should be adhered to in order to minimise risk of effects. Breathing any dusts in is not good for you. The UK HSE Document linked here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm (click the free copy link)
defines many UK Exposure limits. Just search through it for "dust" for some examples. e.g Cotton dust, wool dust, wood dust, etc
It also says:
"Dust - The COSHH definition of a substance hazardous to health includes dust of any kind when present at a concentration in air equal to or greater than 10 mg.m
-3, 8-hour TWA of inhalable dust or 4 mg.m-3 8-hour TWA of respirable dust. This means that any dust will be subject to COSHH if people are exposed above these
levels. Some dusts have been assigned specific WELs and exposure to these must comply with the appropriate limit."
Plus all the above comments above about unknown hazards such as biohazards.
My daughter-in-law's father has recently been taken ill with a lung problem caused by inhalation of wood dust from having taken up woodworking after his retirement.
When I studied ceramics during my teacher training back in the 1960s, health and safety issues were drilled into us. Eg wet swapping, never dry sweeping in the pottery and certainly no eating or drinking.
Not long ago a scan picked up some scarring on my own lung which was said to be of long standing.
If I was setting up a school pottery now, or running a students' course I'd be reading rickwhite's post with rapt attention and following up all his references. And if I was reading your dissertation, I'd certainly expect H&S to be addressed thoroughly.
When I studied ceramics during my teacher training back in the 1960s, health and safety issues were drilled into us. Eg wet swapping, never dry sweeping in the pottery and certainly no eating or drinking.
Not long ago a scan picked up some scarring on my own lung which was said to be of long standing.
If I was setting up a school pottery now, or running a students' course I'd be reading rickwhite's post with rapt attention and following up all his references. And if I was reading your dissertation, I'd certainly expect H&S to be addressed thoroughly.
Some mouth masks you can buy are quite useless for dust. I mean those flat 'doctor masks' with a metal part you shape to the nose. Even those cup formed ones (with a metal part for the nose) are quite inadequate.
With both types my nasal discharge ( snot) was discoloures when I blew my nose.
I use now ( when I remember) a proper one, made from soft plastic, with replaceable filter elements.
With both types my nasal discharge ( snot) was discoloures when I blew my nose.
I use now ( when I remember) a proper one, made from soft plastic, with replaceable filter elements.
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