Are you "afraid" of the chemicals.?

I find it easier to keep my hands as dry as possible during a printing session.

jnanian said:

bare hands for developer and fix and wash + perma wash
and i try to use a poorly ventilated room for everything.

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Well, that explains a lot ...

I'm not very cautious. I don't like the tongs much. However I don't print all that often so I'm not too worried. I come into contact with nastier stuff working on my car or mowing the lawn. Even soldering electronics can be worse.

Theo Sulphate said:

Tongs almost always, but I'm not concerned about the developer or fixer. Stop bath has always spooked me, so I've not dipped into that.

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Do you eat pickles with your bare hand or use a fork? Stop bath is acetic acid (vinegar) at 1.5%, pickles are vinegar (acetic acid) at roughly 1.5%. Others use citric acid (Sweet Tarts, Kool-Aid, Gummi Bears). The color indicator bromocresol purple, is used in the food industry. Carryover from the developer makes it much less inviting to drink but a few seconds skin exposure will not harm you.

Read Chapter 4 of Dr. Richard Henry's book, Controls in Black and White Photography. He walked the walk and talked the talk, he was both a research, mostly in chemical safety, and a medical doctor. If you don't have a copy see what you can do through inter-library loan.

twelvetone12 said:

I'm not at all "afraid" of chemicals but I respect them a lot. I installed a good ventilation in my shared darkroom, always clean the workspace and try to avoid spills, use thongs and gloves not to touch the solutions. I'm sure a drop of RA4 developer of bleach on my skin will not kill me, but I don't want to accumulate chemical exposure so I'm careful.

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"thongs and gloves" it's going to take me the rest of the day to "unsee" that.

But yes, tongs whenever possible, gloves (not so much), and a quick rinse if I do get in the soup, I too have had to reach in to remove a print sticking to a tray bottom.

darkroommike said:

"thongs and gloves" it's going to take me the rest of the day to "unsee" that.

But yes, tongs whenever possible, gloves (not so much), and a quick rinse if I do get in the soup, I too have had to reach in to remove a print sticking to a tray bottom.

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As above... Including the thongs and gloves imagery.

Every once in a blue moon I'll be compelled to fish a print out of the developer with my bare hands. Oddly, it's the only chemical I consider "time critical" that gives me problems with prints refusing to co-operate. After stop and fix, I immediately go and wash my hands. While I'm aware of the sudden onset of a metol sensitivity, it's the fear of cross contamination of my paper that bothers me more.

David Brown said:

Well, that explains a lot ...

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i channel my inner hunter s.t. when i am in the room with the red light

I don't think I've ever had the need to put my hands in any chemical solution. For regular black and white I use tongs, for lith I use nitrile gloves (which get replaced after every print as lith shows the tiniest bit of cross-contamination like nobody's business). I have a dry darkroom, so if I did put my hands in the solutions, I'd have to leave the darkroom and wash and dry them after every print which would be a PITA. Plus, I have dry skin (and occasionally eczema) so I'm not fond of exposing my skin to any kind of harshness, since it doesn't take much (dust, dish soap, other cleaning products, dry air, etc.) to ruin my hands.

A lot of people have a hang-up with "chemicals", usually referring to manufactured products. Some of the most dangerous chemicals are naturally occurring products found in plants, as well as venom from snakes. In the end they are all just molecules.

I personally avoid using toxic solutions when safer alternatives are available.

All my small tanks leak (metal and Paterson tanks), although they generally don't leak until the fixer stage, for reasons I can't explain. I wash my hands well afterwards. I probably should wear gloves, but find cheap gloves uncomfortable.

Same as most here - tongs probably 99% of the time. With 16x20 (which I do very rarely), I pull up a corner with the tongs and then grab with my fingers. Hands are rinsed after each then washed thoroughly before the next print. But I've used about 30 sheets of 16x20 in the last 8 years. None before that.
I have nitrile gloves that I wear when I develop film - daylight tanks do sometimes leak a little. I just don't like having my hands wet for long, so the gloves keep that from happening. The outside of the tank is frequently wet just because the sink has some water in it.

And +1 to the idea that some people these days are just anti-chemical (unrationally).

I am not "afraid" of the chemicals, but I generally use tongs anyway, just because it is less messy. I've never had any allergic reactions.

I've had allergy problems in the past when I was working in a commercial darkroom everyday, and mostly worked without tongs (or gloves). I quit doing that, and the problems went away. Based on that experience, I do recommend tongs or gloves, but everyone's mileage varies.

Keeping your hands out of the chemistry does help avoid contamination problems, especially for handling paper. Nothing worse than etching your perfect print with a fixer laden fingerprint.

Respect yes, afraid, no

Roger Cole said:

You are washing off the skin's natural protective oils. Of course they will replenish in time but repeated washing in a short time will indeed dry the skin and make it more vulnerable.

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I only wash the hands with soap and water at the end of the session. I just quick rinse after each print. I can't see that removing the oils and I am confident with doing it since no problems after all these years. But I would not try it with the more poisonous chemicals (which I don't use anyway), only the ones commonly used.

I spent 10 years mixing chemicals and printing as a user and volunteer in a university darkroom, then 24 more years being paid for it. Rarely used tongs or gloves (made 16x20 prints, mostly). Ventilation is far more important than fingers in the chemicals. But I believe I have become more sensitive to chemicals over-all.

Five years of blow-drying platinum prints after coating has given me asthma...protect your lungs.

The most damage I have done to my hands has been putting them in 120F water for hours -- but only temporary damage due to removing protective oils from my skin.

It's surely common sense to look after your body, including your skin ; you only have one !

I'm not OCD and don't freak out if I get a spot of any normal photographic or household chemical on my skin, but I prevent it when possible. So tongs, sometimes latex gloves for colour chemical, household gloves if I'm using washing-up detergent and suitable heavier gloves for garden or workshop/car repairs. What's the problem ?

My first job after college was a lab tech where I developed a pretty unhealthy disrespect for chemicals. I've used my mouth to pipette strong acids, never used gloves or barrier creams. The only thing I was moderately careful with was handling hydrofluoric acid. I'm over 70 now so it didn't do me too much harm.

Vaughn said:

Five years of blow-drying platinum prints after coating has given me asthma...protect your lungs.

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How did you assess cause-effect. Should I wear a mask when drying?

I use gloves when I handle potassium dichromate. I didn't the first time and I "burnt" my fingers pretty bad. After peeling skin for a week I learned a lesson. These days, I'll often wear gloves when messing around with chemicals, but not always. I don't generally mess with tongs, but sometimes I do. If I do get chemicals on my hands, I make sure to wash them off as quickly as possible. Or, more accurately, as quickly as convenient. But the one thing that's actually bit me, and the one thing I'm adamant about protection around, is potassium dichromate.

faberryman said:

How did you assess cause-effect. Should I wear a mask when drying?

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I was an active athlete (basketball) until I was 43 (two to three games/week). I spent 12 years as a wilderness ranger/trail builder, bicycle-toured for 5 months, etc, so I know that my lungs were in great shape. Any decrease in lung function is very noticeable to athletes.

At 43 years old, I started platinum printing (I had triplets and became a SAHD -- so less time for carbon printing). I would blow dry (no mask) 8 to 12 8x10 sheets of Pt/pd in one sitting, once to twice a week. Five years later, after one session, I immediately got a sore throat and a dry cough. Went away after three days. This repeated after my next two printing sessions (about a week apart), with the dry cough (no mucus) getting worse each time. Started to wear a good dust mask while blow drying and had no repeat of the cough -- but I started to air dry because I did not want platinum dust to be over all surfaces of the facility -- and I started to get better prints (more control of paper moisture).

Any colds started to hit my lungs harder than ever before. Got 'walking pneumonia" a couple times. Went to the doc and got diagnosed with asthma. Lungs now sensitive to dust, etc, in a way they never were before. Use an inhaler occasionally.

PS -- asthma is a very well known work-related disease of workers in the platinum refining industry -- and an especially nasty form of asthma, as I understand.

So, yes -- wear a good dust mask. I was unlucky.

I have never used tongs. I use rubber gloves where needed.

PE

Vaughn said:

I was an active athlete (basketball) until I was 43 (two to three games/week). I spent 12 years as a wilderness ranger/trail builder, bicycle-toured for 5 months, etc, so I know that my lungs were in great shape. Any decrease in lung function is very noticeable to athletes.

At 43 years old, I started platinum printing (I had triplets and became a SAHD -- so less time for carbon printing). I would blow dry (no mask) 8 to 12 8x10 sheets of Pt/pd in one sitting, once to twice a week. Five years later, after one session, I immediately got a sore throat and a dry cough. Went away after three days. This repeated after my next two printing sessions (about a week apart), with the dry cough (no mucus) getting worse each time. Started to wear a good dust mask while blow drying and had no repeat of the cough -- but I started to air dry because I did not want platinum dust to be over all surfaces of the facility -- and I started to get better prints (more control of paper moisture).

Any colds started to hit my lungs harder than ever before. Got 'walking pneumonia" a couple times. Went to the doc and got diagnosed with asthma. Lungs now sensitive to dust, etc, in a way they never were before. Use an inhaler occasionally.

PS -- asthma is a very well known work-related disease of workers in the platinum refining industry -- and an especially nasty form of asthma, as I understand.

So, yes -- wear a good dust mask. I was unlucky.

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Probably a logical summation.
I think this happens with most all jobs.....
A dentist girding cavities while bending over the patient use to get a bad back and inhalation problems.....my Father did.
Carpenters with Dust/Formaldehyde issues
Mechanics and asbestos from brake jobs
I was in the painters union. When i started in 1982, retirees were collecting an AVERAGE of 13 checks...!!!!
THAT is how bad the painting trade Use To Be.
But as with "all" this stuff, it is an Occupational/Long Term concern.
We were stippling at night...circa 1988...with real oil based stipple. It was in a Big Hallway for Chevron's Lawyers at 225 Bush Street... Pillsbury Madison & Sutro.....PMS as they were affectionately referred to.....one of the attorneys wives came to visit and she was (according to her) 7 Months pregnant. She was Terrified that the "Fumes" from the paint were going to cause a MISCARRIAGE..!!
RIGHT THERE in the hallway. !
We had to stop work, grab some cardboard shields, and act like slaves, fanning an Egyptian Princess so she could walk down the hallway to her husbands, corner office.
What can you do in a situation like that...?? You are a painter, so people already think you are an alcoholic and a Dimwit.
Her husband was a Super Nice Dude and Very Appreciative of the way we handled his wife. He actually wrote a letter of thanks to Painters Local #4 and donated 300 Dollars to the San Francisco Labor Board.
Anyway -
I MUST be getting old.....only old guys tell stories like that.

Depends on the chemicals. For example, with cyanotype chemistry, it's pretty safe. Ferric ammonium citrate is used in a Scottish soft drink called IronBru and potassium ferricyanide has low toxicity. With dichromates and pyro chemistry, I handle with great care. My old photo teacher from the 80's died from brain cancer so I'm not cavalier with chemistry.

And I do not think 99% platinum printers blow-drying their prints will have any problems. Those already sensitive to chemicals, or already have asthma, would be wise to take extra precautions with platinum dust.

But in my case, taking precautions after the fact, led to better prints!

Most photochemicals should not be ingested [some use coffee to develop film]. Gloves are needed for some developers [pyro] and fixers [TF4 and TF5]. Tongs are optional HOWEVER if one wants to bleach and tint photographs gloves and tongs are strongly advised so that stains can be avoided.

black and white chemical are not dangerous any one can have an allergic reaction to anything, the toners are not good for you like selenium but the fix and developer and stop bath you though out on your front lawn and nothing will happen.