The University of Memphis photography laboratories housed in the Meeman Journalism Building are receiving a long-awaited renovation this summer with the installation of a new $250,000 ventilation system.
“We have a good program and good facilities,” said David Horan, U of M photo technician and instructor. “Once the air works, it will be more pleasant to be in there. Before, people couldn’t stay in the labs as long as needed. It will be a boost in creative and technical output.”
The previous ventilation system had consisted of regular air conditioning and heating vents, offering no specific route for any toxic or semi-toxic chemicals to vent, according to Horan. With little or no air movement in the facilities, the only way for hazardous fumes to leak out was by opening the door. However, that option was never viable, since black and white photographs must be printed in the dark, with only special lights allowed.
In the past, students working in the labs for extended periods of time had complained of headaches and other health problems. Two serious cases included a graduate student suffering from upper respiratory stress and Horan inhaling acidic fumes, forcing him to seek hospital treatment.
To solve the problem, a single or series of elephant trunk fume hoods are being installed, which will come down to the sinks and suck the fumes out of the room, venting them from the roof. The new system is scheduled to be completed the week before fall classes start.
“President (Shirley) Raines has gotten behind the project and is proactive in making work conditions good for both faculty and staff,” Horan said. “(Vice president of business and finance) Charles Lee has been influential in getting the project done so quickly.”
The labs were relocated to the journalism building in 1997 from the Administration Building, but they were never brought up to code.
“If OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Standards) had come in, they could have created some problems for The University,” Horan said.
Despite the problems with the ventilation system, Horan said The U of M’s photo facilities are the best within a 200-mile radius. The two closest major programs with similar facilities are at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro and at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., Horan said.
Currently there are seven labs housed in the journalism building, including three black and white labs for students, one color-processing lab and three faculty labs.
