Good evening potters, PLEASE READ AND LIKE THIS POST AS IT IS A REMINDER ABOUT AN IMPORTANT STUDIO POLICY! We have been noticing frequently two major issues regarding clay dust, including sanding bisqueware/glazeware and leaving tables/wheels covered in clay. Both of these issues leave loose clay and dust on the surfaces and airborne which can be terrible for your lungs long-term. Since we do have many members and staff who are in the studio daily, please keep in mind that you should be cleaning all of your services every time you're done. Not only for your safety, but for everyone else in the studio.
Issue One: Everyone should be cleaning up after themselves, no matter what
Please plan to leave yourself enough time at the end of your workday here to thoroughly wipe down all tables and wheels, even if you don't think you left any clay or dust on them while you were working. You'd be surprised how much clay even in our of sitting at the table we leave behind. You must wipe your table and wheel down every time you leave the studio.
Issue Two: All forms of sanding, create fine dust that is terrible for your lungs
We have had a number of concerns brought up about people using Dremel tools and sandpaper inside the studio. Even with an ample amount of water, this will still introduce lots of fine silica particles into the air. This is especially important to note for fired Pottery. Our studio policy states that there should be no sanding using Dremel tools or sandpaper inside the studio. If you need to they should be done outside of the studio, whether that be outdoors, or at home. We also highly recommend wearing a respirator if you do choose to do so BUT DO NOT DO IT HERE!