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Spray Booths

Spray paint used in the manufacturing and automotive collision repair industries is considered to be hazardous. 

Hazardous components of paint spray typically include organic solvents, isocyanates and may include metals such as lead and chromium.

Inhalation of paint vapours and overspray may result in respiratory irritation, respiratory sensitization, asthma, reduced lung function and nervous disorders.

For these reasons, any organization or automotive workshop that conducts spray painting must have properly designed and ventilated spray painting booths that undergo regular maintenance and testing, and spray painters must use supplied air respiratory protection that undergoes regular breathing air quality testing.

Environmental Health Solutions (EHS) can assist your business by providing a high quality, cost effective and fast testing service with minimal disruption to your operations to ensure your organization complies with the following testing requirements of the relevant Australian Standards.

Spray painting booths

According to AS/NZS 4114.1 Spray painting booths, designated spray painting areas and paint mixing rooms – Design Construction and testing, a spray booth should have effective exhaust ventilation 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

Air quality (compressors or cylinders) for supplied airline respirators

According to AS/NZS 1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective devices, air used to supply respirators shall:

  • Have a minimum capacity of 170 litres/min flow per person
  • Have no objectionable or nauseous odour; and
  • Have an oxygen concentration between 19.5 – 22% by volume; and
  • Contain not more than 10 ppm of carbon monoxide;
  • Contain not more than 800 ppm of carbon dioxide;
  • Contain not more than 1 mg/m3 of oil; and
  • Have a comfortable breathing air temperature range of 15°C to 25°C.