| aking mosaics, your safety is of paramount | | | | garage or porch. Read and heed all safety |
| importance. You must understand, observe, and | | | | warnings on the product label. |
| apply common-sense safety practices when | | | | Wear a protective mask when mixing grout. This |
| working with mosaics. It’s just good | | | | is just as important as wearing eye protection. |
| common sense to apply safety practices when | | | | Don't ignore it! Grout is a cement product. |
| working with sharp glass, caustic grout, finishing | | | | Cement hardens without air and in wet |
| materials, and various glass cutting tools. Never | | | | environments. If you breathe in grout particles (i.e., |
| take shortcuts when safety is a concern. The | | | | the dust that clouds up when you pour dry grout |
| following are some basic--but important-- safety | | | | from the bag into your mixing container), those |
| tips you should follow when making mosaics. | | | | particles will harden in your lungs. Not good! |
| Wear eye protection when cutting or breaking | | | | Protect yourself by wearing a dust mask. They're |
| materials for your tesserae, especially when | | | | cheap and you can get them at any thrift or |
| working with glass. Tiny shards can fly in multiple | | | | home improvement store. A 5-pack of white dust |
| directions when cutting. They can also bounce off | | | | masks costs about two bucks, and a single mask |
| nearby objects and fly into your eyes. Eye | | | | can be used many times before clogging. Two |
| protection is especially necessary when prying up | | | | bucks is a small price to pay to protect your |
| tesserae to correct mistakes. If the adhesive has | | | | lungs. |
| cured, the tesserae material sometimes shatters | | | | Wear protective gloves when working with grout. |
| instead of coming up clean when prying it away | | | | Cheap rubber or plastic gloves are adequate. |
| from the base material. When it shatters, lots of | | | | Grout is mildly caustic and can cause skin |
| tiny shards fly everywhere. If you wear vision | | | | irritations. A box of 200 of the plastic gloves |
| glasses, putting on a pair of goggles or protective | | | | typically used by food handlers costs about five |
| glasses over them can be an annoyance, but | | | | bucks at the local bulk superstore. |
| don't skimp on safety. Find a type of eye | | | | Don't allow children or pets access to tesserae |
| protection (i.e., goggles or safety glasses) that fit | | | | pieces, which can be cutting or choking hazards. |
| over your vision glasses and feel comfortable. | | | | Teach children and train pets to stay away when |
| Once you get used to them, they'll no longer be a | | | | you're working your mosaic magic. If your child is |
| nuisance and your eyes will love you for taking | | | | creating the mosaic, always provide close |
| safety seriously. | | | | supervision and don't leave them alone for a |
| When using adhesives that emit harmful fumes | | | | second. |
| (e.g., solvent-based adhesives), always work in a | | | | When handling cut tesserae, especially glass, be |
| well-ventilated area. Don't sit cooped up in your | | | | careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges or |
| work space with an open container of | | | | pointy points. |
| solvent-based adhesive. Open a window and use a | | | | Follow proper safety precautions when making |
| fan, or better yet, do your adhering in an outdoor | | | | mosaics. Don't dismiss the importance of never |
| environment, such as an open and ventilated | | | | taking shortcuts with your safety. |