This is also beingposted to photoforum and the rec.photo.darkroom newsgrou.
This survey has been developed as part of graduate study
in Safety Engineering at the University of Cincinnati by
Howard Etkind. The results of the survey will be released
after the acceptance of the paper by the University and after
peer review. The survey results and the entire thesis will be
made publicly available with the locations to be posted
rec.photo.darkroom news group and the photoforum and
alt-photo-process list servers.
The goal of the survey and the thesis the survey supports is
to qualitatively look at the safety and health (occupational
safety and industrial hygiene) behavior of darkroom workers
and print finishers. The range of activities of interest start
with the exposed film ready for processing and end with the
finished print ready for display or delivery.
No attempt will be made to correlate individual names or
organizations with an individual survey or the results of the
surveys.
If you would like a hard copy of this survey to complete,
please send me your address, and I will send you as many
copies of the survey as you would like with self addressed
stamped envelopes. This survey may also be locally
reproduced and distributed to other members of your
organization or others who you feel may be good candidates
to complete this survey.
Please return this survey to Etkindh@ucunix.san.uc.edu.
If you would like to return the completed form by U.S. Mail
(rather than e-mail), please mail to Howard Etkind, 8851
Green Valley Court, West Chester, Ohio 45069.
For any and all questions, please contact Howard Etkind at
Etkindh@ucunix.san.uc.edu, or (513) 648-3158.
1. Demographics
a. Age____
b. Gender Male____ Female_____
c. Education (check highest completed)
Up to and including High School ____ Trade School___
Some College ____ 2 yr degree ____ 4 yr degree____
Masters Degree ____ Doctorate Degree____
2. Involvement in Photography
a. What is your involvement with photography? (if more than one
applies, please rank with 1 being your primary role and 2 being
your secondary role)
Professional____ Amateur___ Academic___
Photojournalist___ Other(specify)____
b. Do you process or finish, to include developing, printing, toning,
hand coloring or mounting photographic film and paper?
yes___ no____
if no, please skip to end of survey.
c. How many hours a week do you spend in photographic
processing or finishing?
under 10___ 10 to 20____ 20 to 30____ 30 to 40 ____
over 40____
3. Darkroom Activities
a. Do you perform photographic processes that may be performed
outside of a darkroom? (Dry mounting, toning, retouching,
hand-coloring and similar activities) yes___ no____
b. Do you work in a darkroom? yes___ no____
(If no, skip following to question 3.f)
c. How long have you been working in a darkroom years____
d. Where is this darkroom located? (check all that apply)
At home____ At your studio____ Company Facility____
Rental____ Academic____ Other______
4. Do you perform or have you performed the following
processes? (either currently or in the past five years)
a. Develop black and white film? yes___ no____
b. Develop black and white paper? yes___ no____
c. Develop color with C-41/E-6 process? yes___ no____
d. Develop color with other color process? yes___ no____
e. Print color? yes___ no____
f. Retouch color prints/negatives? yes___ no____
g. Tone prints (ie: sepia, selenium, color)? yes___ no____
h. Retouch black and white prints/negatives? yes___ no____
I. Hand color prints? yes___ no____
5. Darkroom/Studio Safety and Health Features:
a. Does your darkroom/studio have a ventilation system to remove
air contaminants? (if no, skip following question)
yes___ no____
b. Do you feel that this ventilation is adequate to protect your
health from long term effects of darkroom work?
yes___ no____ not sure____
c. Is the darkroom/studio equipped with ground fault circuit
interrupter (GFCI) circuits? (if no, or don't know, skip next
question)
yes___ no____ don't know____
d. Are the GFCIs tested once a month for proper function?
yes___ no____ don't know____
e. Is the flooring non-slip or are non-slip mats present?
yes___ no____ don't know____
f. Are the chemicals labeled in accordance with the OSHA right to
know standard? (Hazard Communication Standard)
yes___ no____ don't know____
g. Is separate storage available for incompatible chemicals?
(such as acid stop bath concentrate and cyanide bleaches)
yes___ no____
h. If your darkroom is located in the home, are the chemicals "child
proofed" with respect to the age of the children present?
yes___ no____ not applicable
I. Is an eye wash or drench hose installed for eye or body washing
after a chemical splash?
yes___ no____
6. Safety Issues
a. Are you knowledgeable about the safety hazards of photographic
chemicals and supplies?
yes___ no____
b. Are the manufacturer's material safety data sheets for the
photographic chemicals available for you to read? (If no or don't
know, skip following question)
yes___ no____ don't know____
c. Have you read the manufacturer's material safety data sheets for
the chemicals you use?
yes___ no____
d. Would you know how to obtain the manufacturer's material safety
data sheets if needed, either from your organization or externally?
yes___ no____
e. Have you received training or education about safe dark room
procedures? (If no, skip to question 6.g)
yes___ no____
f. If yes, from whom? (check that apply)
Academic___ Trade school___ Company provided____
On the job___ Self taught____ Seminar___
Periodical___ Photographic text____
g. Do you wear safety glasses or goggles while mixing chemicals?
yes___ no____
h. When you use photographic solutions with the potential or
intentional direct skin contact (i.e. hand immersion in developing
trays) (check that apply)
gloves___ tongs___ barrier creme___ no hand protection___
i. If you used gloves how did you select them?
MSDS recommendation___ Ask someone(specify who)_______
Wall chart___ Other(specify)_________
j. Are you involved in a process that requires a respirator (toxic
dust mask)? (if no, skip next question)
yes___ no____
k. If a respirator is required, is a formal respirator safety
program in place?
yes___ no____ don't know____
l. Are there any photographic operations you avoid performing due
to the hazard of the operation or the chemicals?
(if yes, please specify) yes ___ no ____
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
m. Do you feel safe in the darkroom and why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
or why not? ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
n. Have you ever suffered ill effects from photographic operations?
(if no, skip following question)
yes___ no____ don't know____
o. If yes, please specify:
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p. Did you seek medical assistance for these ill effects?
yes___ no____
o. Did these ill effects cause a permanent change in your
photographic work techniques or lifestyle?
yes___ no____
r. If this survey has raised questions about the safety and health
aspects of photography, what actions could you take to answer
these questions or to increase you knowledge about the hazards of
photographic operations?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
When complete please return this survey Howard Etkind
at e-mail Etkindh@ucunix.san.uc.edu
or
Howard Etkind
8851 Green Valley Ct.West Chester, Ohio, 45069