Plant and equipment
Spray painting plant and equipment
Spray painting booths
Spray painting plant and equipment
Spray painting plant and equipment include spray guns, booths, compressors, pumps, ventilation systems, personal protective equipment (PPE) and hoses.
Spray painters use a range of plant, exposing them to risks such as electric shock, excessive noise, hazardous substances and injection bruising.
Hazards that could arise during the normal use of spray painting plant should be assessed. In addition, you should identify potential hazards when installing new plant, modifying plant, using existing plant for a different purpose or using plant in unusual circumstances.
For information about how to assess risk, read the Spray Painting Guide for Employers and Operators (PDF, 2.3 mB).
Ways to control hazards
- Remove or replace plant that is assessed as a risk
- Regularly carry out preventative maintenance on equipment. Always clean airless spray guns according to the manufacturer's instructions
- Use a pneumatic sander rather than an electrical one, or a high volume low pressure (HVLP) spray gun instead of a conventional compressed air one for touch ups
- Use a barrier to separate people from plant, and provide as much ventilation as possible
- Ensure that purchasing specifications for new equipment cover all safety features
- Clearly display equipment information regarding emergency stops/guards
- When preparing rosters, consider workload and fatigue factors
More information on plant and equipment can be found in the Plant Code of Practice 2005.
Spray painting booths
Spray painting hazardous substances must be conducted in booths, except where it is not practical to do so or where the work is of a minor nature.
Booths must be designed and built to comply with AS/NZS 4114.1 Spray painting booths, designated spray painting areas and paint mixing rooms - Design, construction and testing (non-Queensland Government link) and fitted with filtration and ventilation systems. Booths must be regularly checked and maintained.
A spray booth should have effective exhaust capture and filtration systems and must be able to maintain an average air flow rate (measured when the booth is empty) of:
- 0.3 metres/second (m/s) for full down draught booths
- 0.4 m/s for electrostatic spray painting booths
- 0.5 m/s for any other booth
Ways to control hazards
- Ensure spray booths, including filters, are regularly inspected by a competent person
- Carry out regular and appropriate maintenance of spray booths
- Operate the spray booth according to manufacturer's instructions
- Use spray booths only for spray painting
- Ensure that necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) is used
- Keep PPE well maintained
Motor vehicles
If possible, remove LP gas cylinders or fuel tanks from vehicles before placing them in a spray booth/bake oven. Where this is not practical, bake ovens should be operated at a temperature where it is not possible for fuel vapour or gas to be released to the bake oven atmosphere.
Ovens should be constructed so there is no ignition source within the oven air circulation zone.
Any recirculated hot air should include enough fresh air to remove the potential build up of explosive gas.
For information about spray painting plant and equipment, read the Spray Painting Guide for Employers and Operators (PDF, 2.3 mB).
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