Hello Printmaking Friend!

Transcription

1 Hello Printmaking Friend! Print To The People (PTTP) is an artist led, social enterprise dedicated to the production and promotion of traditional printmaking processes. We are a non-profit making organisation founded in 2008 by Vicki Johnson and Jo Stafford. We aim to make printmaking accessible for everyone of all ages and abilities through providing affordable open access facilities, workshops and our outreach work using our mobile printmaking equipment. Membership: In order to start using the facilities you must first become a member and have an induction. However experienced you are you must attend an induction session to familiarise yourself with the equipment and materials we use, to learn about access arrangements and to ensure safe working practice. As a member you will access to two paper screen beds (table 1 printable dimensions 125x85cm / table 2 printable dimentions115x80cm) One textile printing table (printable dimensions: 135 x265cm) 1 heat press (printable dimensions: 45x38cm) An in house exposure unit, maximum screen size 120x90cm 1 wash down booth Screens in a range of mesh counts and sizes available for hire corresponding squeegees in a range of sizes A yearly membership is payable at the time of your first session and is renewable at that date every year. Materials: Basic materials are available to buy through the print rooms at designated times, please check with us that we have everything you need in advance. This will include a range of inks, binders and papers at competitive prices. Payment must be made at the time of purchase. Arrangements can be made for more specialist items through our suppliers if given sufficient notice. You can also use your own materials but please discuss this with the technician (especially if you would like to use your own binders as rules apply) Booking system: Bookings can be made up to six weeks in advance via our online booking system: (there is a link on the Open Access Page on our website) Please only book a slot if you are definitely going to use it as we are unable to give refunds or move bookings as it is unfair on other studio users. Bookings must be made at least 10 days in advance. Screen Hire: Screens for textiles and paper printing are available to hire from us for two weeks at a flat rate regardless of size or mesh count. 43/90/120 mesh counts available. If you wish to use a screen for longer please notify a technician. Screen Coating: Screens will be coated once weekly by our technicians please make sure you have booked any screens you will need online also. Charges will vary depending on the size of the screen/s. If you would like to use your own screens please discuss this with the technician in advance (and make sure your screen/s are easy to identify)

2 Looking after the studio: It is everyone's responsibility to look after and clear up after using the print rooms. Please ensure you have properly cleaned your screens, sink areas and all the equipment you have used in your session. Please put back all the equipment and supplied materials in their correct place. Ensure all appliances and the water and lights are turned off before leaving the premises. Studio misuse and damages: We reserve the right to terminate your membership and cancel any bookings you may have made if we feel you have mistreated any of our technicians, damaged any of our equipment through improper use or failed to adhere to our health and safety guidelines. Health and Safety: You have a legal responsibility to look after yourself and others and to use all the equipment with care. Heath and safety procedures will be covered as part of the induction process. Please read the heath and safety sheet supplied. Ending Membership: We regret that we are unable to refund you if you decide to end your membership before a year is up. In signing up as a member you agree to this as the conditions of membership: CONDTIONS OF MEMBERSHIP: 1. Members of the print rooms agree to abide by the current conditions of membership of Print To The People (PTTP) as set out below by the management committee. 2. Members agree to adhere to the PTTP Health and Safety Policy. Those who put themselves or others at risk may be asked to leave the studio and their membership terminated. 3. Members using the studio must be competent to do so either by previous experience, completing a full induction and private tuition from one of our technicians or by having completed one of the PTTP courses. 4. Any member shall be responsible for covering the full cost for any damage caused to equipment they are using. 5. Items stored at the studio are at the artists own risk. We cannot guarantee storage for non studio screens/equipment or be responsible for damages. 6. A member may be asked to leave the studio and membership terminated on a motion voted by the print room technicians called with a 2 week warning. 7. If you leave, you must take all your work with you and items at that time. Work that is left in the studio and after a reminder (phone or ) will become the property of the studio. 8. Members must consider other users of the building and treat them respectfully. Public members must only access the print room during booked times or to make a booking and must be supervised. 9. Work is not guaranteed to be hung in print room exhibitions and a selection procedure applies.

3 STUDIO RULES: 1. No member shall use materials in a way which may cause danger to themselves and others through risk of fire, toxic fumes or other hazards. 2. There is a rule of NO SMOKING in all areas of the print rooms. You are NOT ALLOWED TO DRINK ALCOHOL whilst operating equipment in the studio. 3. Any member who takes action, or by neglect, contravenes safety rules no. 1, 2 or 3, or any safety rules decided by the management committee shall be asked to stop any action that offends or endangers other members. 4. Any member who persists in breaking the above safety rules may be asked to terminate his/her membership at the discretion of the studio technicians. 5. Any member who disturbs the smooth running of the print rooms may be asked to terminate his/her membership decided on a majority vote by the studio technicians. 6. Audio devices may only be used in the studio by agreement of all members present. Any member shall be entitled to object to a disturbance. 7. All members are expected to clear up after use all the areas of the studio that they have used. 8. Membership rules and studio rules may be added to or amended by the resolution of a board meeting. Such rules shall be posted and shall be binding on all members. Additional safety rules shall be enforced as detailed in rules 3 &4.

4 Print To The People Heath and Safety Manual Heath and Safety are vital issues, and no one accessing the print rooms has a right to endanger either themselves or anyone else though uninformed or negligent use of implements, materials machinery. This manual has been has been complied to provide basic information on safe practices and procedures in screen printing. It is intended to protect you and those around you. Each print room member will receive a copy. It is a basic requirement that you read and understand this manual before beginning to work at the print rooms. Read it now. If you have any questions please contact a studio technician. Anyone who implements, materials, or machinery in a hazardous or potentially dangerous manner may be immediately barred from further access to the facilities. At Print To The People we endeavour to take all reasonable steps to protect the safety of all members, staff and visitors against work accidents and occupational hazards. Safety is the responsibility of everyone. Specific responsibilities are as follows: Members shall: 1. Comply with PTTP health and safety rules and regulations associated with all of their PTTP related activities 2. Seek guidance from print room technicians concerning safety related knowledge and skills required to ensure safe performance in their actives. 3. Immediately report to a technician/instructor any accident, near miss, hazardous practice or condition with respect to their activities. Visitors shall: 1. Be accompanied by a print room member and comply with the PTTP safety rules and procedures. In order to take preventative measures it is important to note the following: How chemicals enter the body: Inhalation: This is the major route of entry for air born chemicals. The chemicals can have a direct effect on the nose, upper respiratory tract and the lungs or they can enter the blood stream and thus affect the blood, bone, heart, liver, kidneys or bladder. Please take regular breaks for fresh air when using spirit based textile binder to reduce the effects of inhalation. Ingestion: This in not normally a direct route of entry from exposure except by wilful or accidental ingestion. Materials can also enter the stomach though indirect means. For example, the lung has a clearing mechanism, which pushes material out of the lung where it can be swallowed. This can result in an exposure to most of the internal organs or even in local action on the stomach wall. Please wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the inks, binder etc, before eating drinking or smoking. Use the gloves provided to reduce the possibility of ingesting chemicals on your hands. Skin contact: Some materials are absorbed though the skin and therefore when they enter the bloodstream they can be transported throughout the body and accumulate in, or affect, the most sensitive areas of

5 the body. Skin contact can also result in allergic reaction, the removal of the protective skin oil, or dermatitis. In some cases, the chemical contact may result in a cancerous lesion. Please use the gloves provided to reduce skin contact and the possibility of an allergic reaction. Especially if you have sensitive skin. Arts and reproduction: Many chemicals used in art can also affect the reproductive system. Some chemicals have specific effects on the male reproductive system, e.g. Cadmium, manganese and lead. Other have specific effects on the female reproductive system, e.g. toluene, xylene, which cause menstrual irregularities. All of those chemicals are common in art materials. High-risk groups: Pregnant and breast feeding women: the amount of material necessary to damage a foetus or embryo is much smaller than the amount which can injure an adult. Children: Children are more susceptible to the effects of hazardous chemicals than adults are and they should be closely supervised in the studio environment. Smokers and heavy drinkers: Nicotine and/or alcohol mixed with toxic chemicals in art materials can cause synergistic and multiplicative reactions. Individuals on medications: Consult your doctor to ensure that any medication will not interact with substances in art materials to cause illness. Note: Also within the high-risk group are the physically disabled, the elderly, and those with allergies and illnesses. Basic preventative measures: 1. Do not eat, drink or smoke in the print rooms, store food out side of the print rooms. 2. Store materials safely. Use clearly labelled unbreakable containers and always cover them when not in use to deter their evaporation into the environment. Do not store materials in food containers to avoid accidental ingestion. 3. Ensure proper ventilation and take regular breaks.. 4. Wear appropriate personal protective clothing such as proper foot wear and gloves. 5. Ask if you are unsure about the operation of any equipment. Misuse of tools leads to accidents. Equipment and facilities: Equipment and facilities are for the use of studio members only. Facilities and tools are not to be moved or modified to suit individuals unless authorised by a technician. Unsafe or misuse of equipment in the studio may result in the withdrawal of membership. Members whose actions are considered detrimental to themselves or fellow members may be asked to leave the studio or stop using the equipment. Any equipment requiring repairs should be brought to the attention of a technician as soon as possible. Summary: To handle art materials safely, there are certain basic ideas, which are important to know.

6 1. Art materials are chemicals. The fact that you are working with potentially hazardous chemicals should be a major factor in determining your working habits. 2. You should inquire about the hazards of art materials and how to work safely with them when you first learn about a particular technique. In this way, working safely with these materials becomes an integral part of your work routine. But safe-working habits can be developed at any time. 3. You should always consider ways in which you may be exposed to hazardous art materials. One of the aims of safe working practices is to prevent absorption of hazardous materials into the body. Whether by skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion. You should examine each material you use and how you use it to determine if your work habits might contaminate your body. Many precautions become common sense. 4. Safety takes longer. Precautions such as putting on gloves, cleaning up spills immediately, not eating in the studio and washing your hands carefully before eating or smoking. It is often easy to skip a precaution to save time. Don't. This is how many accidents and over exposure to chemicals occur. Making these precautions a normal part of your work routine is the only way to be safe.