Staying Alive!
Every one of us, at some point during our day, is exposed to potentially harmful chemicals and toxins, or unsafe conditions. As artists, it is often necessary to repeatedly use harmful chemicals and toxins, or continually place ourselves in harm's way in order to create art and make a living.
From September 2006 to March 2007, CARFAC Ontario partnered with The Artists' Health Centre Foundation (AHCF) and Environmental Defence to present: Staying Alive! A Health & Safety Workshop for Visual and Media Artists. This workshop was presented in seven cities throughout the province with the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and The Education Safety Association of Ontario.
"The health and safety workshop challenged some of my beliefs that my artistic practice is harmless. Each speaker provided practical advice that I can easily adopt into my workflow and lifestyle. A wide spectrum of concerns were addressed with particular emphasis placed on interactions between the body and chemicals. Pretty alarming territory to be sure, but easily negotiated after the workshop." - Kyle Bishop, Artist, St. Catharines, ON.
During these workshops it became clear that artists need easy access to personal protective equipment and further resources to help them understand the importance of practicing safety in the studio. After the success of these workshops, CARFAC Ontario launched two new services: an online Health and Safety Store which was operational for one year, and Staying Alive! Health and Safety Resources.
Staying Alive! Health and Safety Resources
Please browse this information carefully as it relates directly to your safety in the short term, and in the long term, to your health and the vitality of your art practice. Please consider the consequences of repeated exposure to potentially harmful chemicals found in the Fine Art materials you use everyday.
Visit The Environmental Defence Toxic Nation ‘Healthy Home.' It was recently renovated to include a ‘Studio Room' Environmental Defence and CARFAC Ontario partnered in this initiative to provide artists and craftspeople with information on how to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals.
Download the "Healthy Artist Guide to a Less Toxic Studio." Produced by Ted Rickard, MLS, MEd, CRSP, Manager of Health and Safety at the Ontario College of Art and Design in collaboration with Environmental Defense and CARFAC Ontario.
Download "Health Hazards & Safety Tips for Artists" and "Warehouse Studio Health and Safety". These are two of CARFAC Ontario's Advisory Notes that summarize what you need to know about health and safety in relation to your artistic practice. Find out more about CARFAC Ontario's Advisory Notes CD-ROM.
Purchase Overexposure: Health Hazards in Photography (2nd Edition) or The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide from Allworth Press. Members of CARFAC Ontario receive special discounts on all Allworth Press books. Everytime you shop at www.allworth.com you can redeem your 15% CARFAC Ontario Member's Discount in addition to the 20% discount on all titles ordered online. See the Coupon Code Now!
Visit the The Education Safety Association of Ontario Inc., a not-for-profit organization designated as a "Safe Workplace Association" under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. The ESAO provided funding for CARFAC Ontario's Staying Alive! A Health & Safety Workshop for Visual and Media Artists and they continue to provide their support in our effort to facilitate safety resources to Ontario visual and media artists. Click on "Downloads" and you will find valuable information on Health and Safety. Also, look at Health and Safety Links for Art Centres for information that pertains directly to artists.
Check out the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for your artists' materials.
Read the Health and Safety issue of DISPATCH Volume 12, Issue 3 (July 2006) featuring "I am Canadian and I am Polluted" by Robert Bateman. Also in this issue of DISPATCH; an interview with Heather McLellan of the Workers' Art and Heritage Centre in Hamilton. The interview focused on the exhibition Life… or a Living? A History of Occupational Health and Safety in Canada.
Read the April 2007 issue of the Arts Research Monitor. The issue focuses on arts and health: a focus on the relationship between the arts and health, including a presentation of a hospital-based arts program, a British report summarizing medical research into the impacts of the arts on health, and a Canadian literature review of the arts and health.
Prevent-it.ca. Check out the latest workplace safety campaign by the Workers' Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). An interactive site that tells us that dangerous hazards exist in every workplace and being aware of them could help you prevent a fatal injury. The site includes video testimonials, prevention tips, and lots of valuable information for young workers. Artists can take these tips and apply them in their studio to "spread-it" and build a culture of prevention in their communities.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event shall CARFAC Ontario, partners or advisors/consultants, be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, whether foreseeable or not, based on claims (including, without limitation, claims for damages for loss of profit, loss of business opportunities, delay or inability to use this Site, failure to provide goods or services, mistakes, omissions, deletion or corruption of files, interruptions, or delays in transmission) arising out of or in any way connected with the use of this Site whether based on contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
Disclaimer
The information contained on this Site is provided for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal or professional advice and is not a substitute for proper training regarding applicable laws and workplace specific hazards. While the information provided, including references to legislation and established practice, is current at the time of publication, it may become out-of-date or incomplete with the passage of time. Accordingly, CARFAC Ontario does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information provided or the suitability of the information to the user's workplace specific needs.
© Copyright CARFAC Ontario, 2007
Illustrations courtesy of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto.
Web design for Health and Safety Store and Staying Alive! Health and Safety Resources pages: Adriana Alarcón.