Paint Shop Operations and Isocyanate Safety Procedure

Purpose. Describes how surfaces are prepared, primed, painted, finished and reworked in the Nexus paint shops and how workers are protected from isocyanates and solvents.

1.Scope

This procedure applies to all preparation, masking, priming, top coating, clear coating, rework and decal application in the Wacol and Wetherill Park paint shops. It applies to employees, apprentices and contractors.

2.Preparation and masking

Degrease, sand and clean surfaces to the paint specification for the substrate, treating bare steel, galvanised steel, aluminium and fibreglass with the specified primer system. Mask all areas not to be painted, including tyres, glass, lights, couplings and plates. Record the substrate and the primer used on the work order.

3.Mixing

Mix two pack products only in the mixing room with the extraction running, wearing nitrile gloves, goggles and the respirator specified. Follow the mixing ratio and pot life on the technical data sheet and label the pot with the product, time mixed and the painter's name.

4.Booth operation and respiratory protection

Check the booth airflow and record it on the booth log before every session. Nobody enters the booth during spraying of isocyanate products without an air supplied respirator or a powered air purifying respirator fitted with the correct cartridges and a current fit test. The booth door must be closed and the warning light on during spraying and for the flash off period.

• Airflow recorded before each session
• Air supplied or powered respirator in use
• Warning light on and door closed
• No unprotected entry until purge complete

5.Application and inspection

Apply coats to the wet film thickness in the specification and observe the flash off times between coats. After curing, measure dry film thickness at the points in the inspection plan and inspect for runs, sags, dust inclusions, orange peel and colour match against the approved sample. Record the results on the work order for the paint gate inspection.

6.Rework of paint faults

Identify the fault type and cause before reworking. Flat and polish minor dust inclusions and orange peel. Sand back and recoat runs, sags and solvent pop. Record the fault, the cause and the rework on the work order so the cause can be tracked and eliminated.

7.Cleaning and waste

Clean guns in the enclosed gun washer. Place solvent waste, paint sludge and used masking in the labelled waste drums for the licensed contractor. Booth filters must be changed at the interval in the plant and equipment register or when the airflow reading drops below the limit.