Vehicle spray painter - common causes of asthma

Isocyanate (typically in 2-pack paints) is the most common cause of occupational asthma. It also causes dermatitis.

It affects workers spraying 2-pack (2K) isocyanate paints in motor vehicle repair and in motor and semi-trailer manufacture.

See COSHH essentials for paint spraying in motor vehicle repair for detailed advice on control.

Top tips

• Spraying produces a lot of invisible mist. Never spray outside the booth.
• Your booth takes time to clear of mist so measure the clearance time and make sure everyone knows it.
• Always wear air-fed breathing apparatus (BA) while spray mist is present.
• Sprayers should not lift their visor directly after spraying.
• You need regular health surveillance.
• ‘Safety in motor vehicle repair - Working with isocyanate paints’ provides more information on good practice.

Reduce disease - reduce exposure to isocyanate mist

You breathe isocyanate mist when you raise your BA visor to check the paint film quality, or prime or wash out the gun by spraying without wearing BA.

Check that the air-fed BA and working procedures are effective enough by measuring your exposure using biological monitoring.

Maintain the booth and BA regularly and keep unprotected persons out of the spraying areas.

More information for employers

You can find more guidance and information on the Asthma publications pages. These also contain information on isocyanate use in other sectors.

• More general advice for employers

Bodyshops

• Motor vehicle repair - Respiratory health in the workplace

Guidance specific to body shop owners is also available.

Case study

These case studies are all real incidents with real and often serious long-term consequences for the people involved.

• Spray painter and isocyanates