General Gas Firing Safety Notes

• Kilns are potentailly lethal. They must be used carefully to prevent injury and death. In order to fire a fuel operated kiln at TAMUCC students must pass a kiln firing test. The teacher must also be assured that deficiencies in knowlege pointed out by the test have been corrected.
• Failure to follow correct safety procedures may prevent you from firing kilns at TAMUCC in the future. Decisions made by the instructor about students who have violated these rules may be appealed to the Campus Safety Officer and the Dean of Students.
• Non-frizzy Cotton fabrics should be worn when firing kilns.
• Long hair should be controlled and covered.
• Covered shoes must be worn.
• Clutter around kilns should be removed, trash and other combustables in the kiln yard must be secured and moved at least ten feet from the kilns.
• Louis Katz, Greg Reuter or Jack Gron must know of all kiln lighting and approve.

General lighting procedures.

See the specific kiln pages for more specific infomation.

To light a kiln you must pass a kiln safety test.

1. Inform Louis, Jack or Greg and receive approval.
2. Close all gas valves on the kiln and open the damper.
3. Remove all combustables from around the kiln
4. Check that the shelves are stacked and stilted correctly and that the cones are correct and visible.
5. Recheck the valves and damper.

• Never fire kilns when you are feeling "under the weather" or taking medicine that impairs your abilities.
• Always keep your face away from the burner and not directly over it.
• Never, even when they are cold, place spy hole plugs on combustable surfaces. On our electric kilns they can be placed on the lid of the kiln or in the spy holes, no where else.
• Do not place boards, papers or other combustables on the tops of kilns or leaning against kilns even when they are cold.
• Never bypass a safety system even if it is not working.
• Make sure all valves are closed before starting to light a kiln.
• Stay at arms length from any burner you are lighting. Do not stand with your face over a burner you are lighting.