During the application of paint, workers are exposed primarily to solvents.
Exposure to workers can be by inhalation and via skin contact. It occurs specifically in operations that involve manual handling during preparation of the paint. Manual handling processes include weighing ingredients (pigments, extenders, resins, additives), loading them into mixing equipment, adding solvents to mills, cleaning equipment, thinning, tinting and shading, during filling operations, and during the filtering of varnishes. The cooking of varnishes may produce emissions of various aldehydes such as acrolein, ketones, glycerine and fatty acids as well as dusts or vapours of maleic, phthalic and fumaric anhydrides during the loading of kettles.
The production of powder coatings can be associated with significant exposure to dust from resin powders, pigments, curing agents and other additives. In the manufacture of radiation-curable coatings, exposures may occur to monomers such as ethyl acrylate, other acrylates, and photo-initiators. While inhalation and cutaneous contact are the major routes of exposure, ingestion related to personal work habits constitutes another potential route of entry.
Spray painting can cause short term health effects such as: irritation contact dermatitis, burns to the skin and eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue as well as irritation to the nose, throat and lungs.
Possible long term health effects that can result from spray painting can be: occupational asthma, allergic contact dermatitis, lung cancer, ‘painter’s syndrome’ (prolonged inhalation of paints and solvents resulting in brain damage), damage to the reproductive system as well as kidney or liver damage.
Possible short term health effects from inhalation and injection of spray painting can be: respiratory tract irritation, shortness of breath, dizziness, influenza-like symptoms, tightness of the chest, nausea and headaches.
Possible long term health effects from inhalation and injection of spray painting can be: cancer, sensitisation of respiratory systems, asthma, abnormal reduction in lung function, emphysema and central nervous system dysfunction.
Isocyanates are particularly hazardous and special care is required when dealing with products containing this chemical. Isocyanates are compounds containing one or more -N=C=O groups which can combine with other compounds containing alcohol groups. Isocyanates are commonly dissolved in aromatic solvents such as xylene and toluene, which in themselves are toxic. (National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, 1990)
There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of occupational exposure as a painter. Occupational exposure as a painter causes mesothelioma, and cancers of the urinary bladder and lung. Also, a positive association has been observed between maternal exposure to painting (including pre-conception and during pregnancy) and childhood leukaemia in the offspring.
Basic steps are required to be followed when assessing exposure in the workplace:
The following questions may help to assess the risk:
Potential hazards may be identified in a number of different ways including:
Spray booths
Spray booths should: be designed, constructed and installed to comply with AS/NZS 4114.1: Spray painting booths, designated spray painting areas and paint mixing rooms.
Spray booth ventilation control systems should operate a pre-purge cycle to remove any residue contaminants and also operate a minimum of a 5 minute post-purge period following spraying.
Ventilation systems should be capable of producing a minimum air movement of;
Atmospheric Monitoring
Regulation 49 is taken from the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 relates to the need to provide a safe working environment.
Regulation 49: A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that no person at the workplace is exposed to a substance or mixture in an airborne concentration that exceeds the exposure standard for the substance or mixture.
Exposure standards represent the airborne concentration of a particular substance or mixture that must not be exceeded. There are three types of exposure standard:
Exposure standards are based on the airborne concentrations of individual substances that, according to current knowledge, should not cause adverse health effects nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers.
Regulation 50 is taken from the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 relates to the need to provide atmospheric monitoring to confirm that there is no risk to health.
Regulation 50: A person conducting a business or undertaking at a workplace must ensure that air monitoring is carried out to determine the airborne concentration of a substance or mixture at the workplace to which an exposure standard applies if:
The results of air monitoring must be recorded and kept for 30 years after the date the record is made.
Health Monitoring
Regulation 368 is taken from the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and states the requirement for businesses to provide health monitoring to workers operating in high risk environments. A risk assessment of personnel in the facility would need to be conducted to identify the need for health monitoring. The risk assessment would need to take into account the tasks performed and chemicals used (in particular if it involves the use of isocyanates or lead). The health monitoring will involve a blood test (full blood count), and lung test (Spirometry) and urine test (solvent screen).
Regulation 368: A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure health monitoring is provided to a worker carrying out work for the business or undertaking if:
Prevention and/or Control Strategies.
Hierarchy of hazard control can be used to minimize or eliminate exposure to hazards.
Substitution:
Isolation:
Implementing engineering controls
Administrative controls:
Works Cited
For more information contact Paul on 0448 298 485 or email info@integratedenvironmental.com.au