Vehicle paint sprayers are warned that they face an increased risk of developing occupational asthma and should protect themselves from needless exposure to paint fumes.
Occupational asthma is an allergic reaction that some people suffer when exposed to chemicals, dust and other substances that can occur in the workplace.
After a person?s lungs have become ?sensitised? to a substance, exposure to that substance, even in small amounts, can cause an asthma attack.
People who develop severe occupational asthma are usually advised to have no further contact with the substance that has caused the disease. For many people, this can mean having to quit their jobs and find alternative employment.
The UK?s Health and Safety Executive says that vehicle paint sprayers are nearly 100 times more likely to develop occupational asthma than the general workforce.
This increased risk is caused by exposure to harmful chemicals contained in the paint mist released during the spraying process.
However, the Executive says that paint sprayers can take simple steps to minimise their chances of developing work-related asthma, such as not removing their face masks until fumes have cleared completely.
“We know that levels of occupational asthma are particularly high in this industry but they don?t have to be. The problem is that air-fed masks are removed too soon, so we want vehicle paint sprayers to wear their protective masks until the paint mist has cleared,” said Steve Coldrick, head of the disease reduction programme at the Health and Safety Executive.
He said that it can take between 10 and 25 minutes for paint mist to clear and that employers should display the correct ?clearance time? in the workplace for all employees to see.
“Our advice about clearance times is simple. Know it. Show it ? and then Do it,” Coldrick said.