From: Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net)
Date: 07/22/01-01:56:08 PM Z
I don't know how much help it would be from a safety standpoint but from an
odor standpoint Clayton and Sprint, perhaps others, make odor free stop bath
and fixer.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001 4:22 PM
Subject: school ventilation
>
>
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Shannon Stoney wrote:
> > Then at the University of Houston, our newly renovated art building and
> > darkroom had its whole ventilation system cancelled, unbeknownst to
anybody
> > but the campus architect, during the renovation process, because the
> > renovation was running over budget. So when we moved back in the fall,
we
> > didn't know that our darkrooms had no ventilation. So I got sick again,
> > after having recovered from the Glassell School injury. So did some
other
> > students. Some retrofits have been made to one of the darkrooms (vent
hoods
> > over the trays), but the color processing room is still unventilated.
Also
> > the safety and security people will not tell us the number of air
changes we
> > are actually getting in the black and white darkroom, so I am skeptical.
>
> If you want to make a so-to-speak stink about it you can get this
> information.
>
> > I am telling this whole story to warn other people about the hazards of
> > public darkrooms where the ventilation is an unknown factor. I was
*really*
>
> CUT=========
>
> We had a similar situation at my school for many years... After students &
> faculty protested with increasing acrimony & hysteria, they brought in a
> firm who ripped open the ceiling in relays for years and as far as we
> could tell there STILL wasn't any air. Initially, we were given to
> understand, there was a SPACE up there, but the supposed ventilation
> system simply did not exist. (Rumor added that original contractor was
> somebody's buddy, seems believable if not provable.)
>
> However I add here one strategy I found VERY helpful, both at home and at
> school -- that is, both the stop tray and the fixer tray are COVERED when
> not actually in use. The difference this makes is remarkable. At home for
> instance my darkroom has a very low ceiling (less than 6 feet) and, being
> totally below grade, no possibility of outside ventilation. I found that
> by keeping those trays covered -- even during agitation, just lift cover,
> slide in film or paper, return cover & agitate -- 95% of the fumes are
> eliminated, or at least reduced to below normal perception.
>
> By experiment I found best cover was either a piece of heavy corrugated
> cardboard which I covered with heavy plastic, or a piece of heavy plexi
> which I hinged in middle & taped to support at rear of tray so it could
> fold back & stay in place. Other figurations tended to curl or warp in
> time, so didn't cover as well.
>
> One gang darkroom where I taught a workshop smelled so strongly of fixer
> and/or stop even with "ventilation" I installed covers, for a big
> improvement. It might be added that ventilation is supposed to be at tray
> level, the kind in the ceiling pulls the fumes up past your face.
>
> I've also been in private darkrooms that stank, the photographer taking
> the attitude that that's what darkrooms smell like, and/or REAL
> photographers don't mind. This might not have such a dramatic result as
> Shannon experienced, but effects over time can't be good.
>
> Judy
>
>
>
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