Safety in the darkroom

There are some health and safety issues in the darkroom. The most commonly used chemicals are no more dangerous than household detergents and bleaches, some of the more specialized chemicals can be hazardous. Here are some do's and don'ts to make things safer.

Do's

• Wear gloves ( rubber or Latex), protective cloths and use eye protection.
• Wash spillage's to skin and eyes quickly with lots of water.
• Keep a tap hose for this purpose'
• Clearly label everything.
• Make sure there is good ventilation.
• Dispose of solutions safely' seek advice if needed.
• Mix chemicals slowly and in the right sequence.
• Filter water and home-made solutions to remove bits especially for film processing.
• KEEP ALL CHEMICALS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

Don'ts

• Eat, drink or smoke when mixing chemicals.
• Inhale dust from powders.
• Fail to read instructions and warnings first.
• Use kitchen scales for chemicals.
• Use metal containers, mixers and trays.
• Add chemicals together without knowing if the outcome is safe.
• Add water to strong acids or alkali's ( e.g. caustic soda-Na OH). Always add them to water not the other way round and slowly.
• keep large glass bottles on high shelves.

Dry side of the darkroom.

Typical layout for dry side of darkroom

This is the area where you will have your enlarger set up. The table will need to be large enough to allow for timer, puffer (like a rocket air) and magnifying glass. There will also need to be space for you to lay out your negatives, printing paper, scissors and or guillotine/rotary trimmer and holding back and burning in tools. It is a good idea if this area also has cupboards and draws for keeping your paper and equipment in.