23: Safe and Healthy Spaces

Work-related health problems can be a serious concern for artists. Hazardous conditions and materials found in many industrial workplaces can also be found in many art workspaces. When hazards are identified in an industrial workplace, safety training and information may be required -- but these resources are less often available to artists who work alone or in small groups. Lack of awareness of these hazards, combined with poor access to safety information, training, and protective equipment, can make an art workplace especially dangerous.

Other factors can also make art spaces hazardous. Artists may work or practice for extended periods of time, often far beyond the usual work day or work week hours. This can be especially dangerous if they work in hazardous settings or in close contact with hazardous materials. Even if health and safety precautions are usually followed, artists might focus on preparing for a show to the detriment of their health and safety.

Although many art-related hazards may not appear especially dangerous at first, they can lead to serious health problems that can affect an artist's life and ability to work. Painters can develop neurological and other disorders from long-term solvent exposure. Musicians can develop permanent hearing loss from exposure to loud music, even in acoustic settings. Pottery artists may find that they are unable to continue work at the wheel because of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or other hand-wrist problems from extended work schedules. These work-related disorders can disable visual and performing artists during their most productive years, when work activities and the associated exposures may be at their peak.

Work-related disorders and injuries in the arts are preventable. This chapter focuses on ways to eliminate or reduce hazards in your art practices and workplace. Information provided here is meant to be general in nature. However, your art-related activities and setting are likely to have some unique safety issues, so explore this chapter’s Resource section to research ways to ensure your work is free of recognized hazards.

The following individuals and/or organizations contributed to the content of this chapter: Angela Babin, Center for Safety in the Arts; Center for Safety in the Arts; David Hinkamp, MPH, MD, Health in the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Anna Mason, Vassar University; Michael McCann, Center for Safety in the Arts; Mydhili N. Moorthie, Health in the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Monona Rossol, Center for Safety in the Arts.