Page 71 - Australasian Paint & Panel magazine July-August 2022

Lead by example, look out, join in, speak up.
Safety
– it’s in your hands.
PAINT&PANEL JULY / AUGUST 2022 WWW.PAINTANDPANEL.COM.AU
PAINT SAFETY IN THE BODYSHOP
CREATING A CULTURE WHERE ‘EVERYONE GOES HOME SAFE EVERYDAY’ BENEFITS EMPLOYEES, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, CUSTOMERS AND YOUR BUSINESS SAYS BASF.
THIS CONCEPT HELPS INDIVIDUALS TO UN-
derstand that safety is paramount, and that each person plays a role in protecting them- selves from injury and illness.
Collision repair is a high-risk environment and includes exposure to hazardous chemi- cals, dust, machinery and changing work en- vironments. It is important that these risks are identified and managed so that a safe work environment is always maintained.
Below are simple practices that can be imple- mented within the paint shop environment:
PPE
When handling paint refinish products it is im- portant that the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn at all times, to protect spray painters from being exposed to materials, vapours, dust and spray mists during the paint process.
BASF use and recommend air fed masks, overalls with a head cover, safety boots, RODIM vinyl gloves, a respirator and protective glasses during the painting and preparation process.
Completing a risk assessment prior to start- ing tasks in a bodyshop is an essential activity.
GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING
Maintaining a high standard of tidiness and cleanliness in the workplace ensures that haz- ards can be controlled and/or eliminated. Some good practices to follow are outlined below.
Containers not in use should be kept tightly closed.
• Products should be re-
tained in original con- tainers with labels in- tact. Where material is transferred from the original container, the new container should be labelled to show contents and hazards.
• Accumulation of spray deposits on booths, ducting and fans should be fre- quently cleaned/re- moved.
• Spills should be cleaned immediately, and dried deposits of paints should be removed. • Residues and paint scrapings produced dur- ing chemical stripping should be placed im- mediately in a metal container and disposed
of in an environmentally safe manner.
• All vehicle refinish products should be considered as potentially hazardous chem- icals, and must be disposed through an ap-
proved method.
MIXING AND DECANTING
All decanting and mixing should be carried out in a well-ventilated area, away from the storage and application areas and all possible sources of ignition within the shop. During the handling of dangerous goods, the appro- priate PPE should be worn.
In the case that rags or other combustible materials have been used, these must be dis- posed of in a metal container and closed tightly. All waste material must be treated as a fire hazard and disposed of in the appropri- ate manner. No material used in the process should enter drains and spillages need to be cleaned as soon as they occur.
There are a number of rules and ordi- nances prescribed by law that regulate oc- cupational safety and safe handling of haz- ardous materials. The implementation of procedures; risk assessments; safety data sheets; and operating instructions are es- sential tools to assist in maintaining a safe work environment.
Staying safe in the workshop is simple. It is the business owner’s responsibility to ensure staff work safely and wear the correct PPE.
Workshop safety
71