ESTA's Fog and Smoke Working Group's CIH Literature Studies

The Fog and Smoke Working Group hired two Certified Industrial Hygiene firms to survey the existing scientific literature concerning the toxicology of glycol and glycerin, particularly those dealing with the inhalation of these compounds. The scope of this project and the resulting reports are available on this website.

Introduction to Modern Atmospheric Effects, 4th Edition .
Entertainment Services and Technology Association, New York: 2005.

The Introduction to Modern Atmospheric Effects can be purchased on-line. Links to vendors can be found on the TSP Published Documents page. The book briefly explains the different fog making technologies and gives advice on how to make and use fog safely and effectively.

Safety Bulletin No. 10., Guidelines Regarding the Use of Artificially Created Smokes, Fogs and Lighting Effects.
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, June 25, 1992.

Contact the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, 15503 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91436, +1-818-995-3600, fax +1-818-382-1793.

HETA 90-355-2449, Health Hazard Evaluation Report for Actors' Equity Association/The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.
Burr, Van Gilder, Trout, and Wilcox
NIOSH, August 1994

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA) reports are government documents, and are available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Call +1-702-487-4660 to place an order.

HETA-88-117-0000, Technical Assistance to the International Association of Fire Fighters, Washington, D.C.
Gregory A. Burr, C.I.H.
NIOSH, November 1988.

NIOSH HETA reports are government documents, and are available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Call +1-702-487-4660 with a touch-tone phone to place an order.

HETA 94-0130
Gregory A.Burr, C.I.H.
Thomas J. Van Gilder, M.D.
NIOSH, January 24, 1994.

NIOSH HETA reports are government documents, and are available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Call +1-702-487-4660 with a touch-tone phone to place an order.

Material Safety Data Sheets for the chemicals used in fog production are available here.

This site is a search engine maintained by Cornell University. It finds and retrieves MSDS documents from the Department of Defense and Cornell University databases.

Health Effects of Glycol Based Fog Used in Theatrical Productions.
Consultech Engineering Co., Consultech Engineering Co., 1995.

The Consultech report was commissioned by Actors' Equity Association. Contact the Association at 165 W. 46th Street, New York, NY 10036, +1-212-869-8530.

"A foggy forecast: Where there's smoke, there's argument,"
Dramatics
Don Corathers, September 1996. pp. 52-56.

Dramatics is published by the Educational Theatre Association, 3368 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45225-2392. It is available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, +1-313-761-4700.

Letter to Stan Miller, President and CEO of Rosco Laboratories
Thomas A. Hall, PhD., C.I.H., Director of Industrial Hygiene at Sciences International, critiquing the Consultech report. September 11, 1995.

Contact the literature department at Rosco Laboratories for a copy of Dr. Hall's letter critiquing the Consultech report. Rosco Laboratories is at 52 Harbor View Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902. +1-203-708-8900; fax +1-203-708-8915. Email info@rosco.com.

"Are theatrical fogs dangerous?"
Chemical Health & Safety
Harry H., Jr. Herman, July/August 1995.

This article is written by the author of the Consultech report, and summarizes the results of that report. It is being distributed by Actors Equity to its members. Chemical Health & Safety was published by the American Chemical Society, 1155 - 16th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036.

Letter and response in "Letters to the Editor"
TCI
Harry H. Herman Jr. and Karl G. Ruling, August/September 1996. pp. 4, 42, 43.

TCI was published by Intertec Publishing. As is the case with any magazine, the inexpensive, low-tech way to read an article is to find it at the local library. Microfilm copies are available from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, +1-313-761-4700. Quantity reprints or photocopies can be arranged by contacting Chris Lotesto at +1-312-435-2357.

Letter to Lowell Fowler, CEO of High End Systems
James P. Kehrer PhD., critiquing the Consultech report. August 28, 1995.

High End Systems has made the text of this letter available on this web site.

"The Fog Thickens," Stage Directions
Kent Lantaff March 1996. pp. 25-30.

Stage Directions is a publication of Life Style Media, Inc; 110 William Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10038, +1-646-459-4800.

Analysis And Toxicology Of Le Maitre Smoke Fluids
B. A. Colenutt, PhD., February 1985.

Le Maitre Special Effects Inc. has made the text of this report available on this website.

Exposure Standard for Fog Oil
Winifred G. Palmer, Technical Report 9010, US Army Biomedical Research & Development Laboratory, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702-5010, November 15, 1990.

This document is approved for public release with unlimited distribution. Military technical reports are theoretically available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161, but whether this particular document is readily available from that source has not been confirmed.

"Safe Smoke: Glycol-Based Fogs"
Lighting Dimensions
Karl G. Ruling, April 1995. pp. 84, 86, 87, 89.

Lighting Dimensions is published by Primedia Business. Find it at the library or order microfilm copies from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, +1-313-761-4700. Quantity reprints or photocopies can be arranged by contacting Chris Lotesto at +1-312-435-2357.

"Clearing the Air About Fog"
TCI
Karl G. Ruling, April 1996. pp. 45-48.

TCI was published by Intertec Publishing. Find it at the local library or order microfilm copies from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, +1-313-761-4700. Quantity reprints or photocopies can be arranged by contacting Chris Lotesto at +1-312-435-2357.

PLASA Report on Investigation Into Safety of Smoke Machines.
George Thompson, PLASA, November 1990.

Order from the Professional Lighting and Sound Association, 38 St. Leonards Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3UT, England. Telephone +44-1323-410335, or fax +44-1323-646905.

Focal Guide to Safety in Live Performance.
George Thompson, Focal Press (an imprint of Butterworth-Heinemann), Oxford: 1993. ISBN 0-240-51319-3.

This book contains an excellent chapter on the safety of artificial fogs, along with equally good chapters on fire, pyrotechnics, luminaire maintenance, lasers, noise, and crowd control. The fog chapter is derived from the information Thompson uncovered for his PLASA Report of 1990.