Maintenance of spray equipment

You should ensure that the plant and spray equipment used in spray painting or powder coating activities is well maintained, operational and clean. This includes:

• regular visual checks of equipment and plant, including engineering controls and ventilation systems
• regular monitoring and testing of ventilation flow rates
• regular servicing of all equipment and plant
• procedures for reporting and repairing faulty equipment
• records of servicing, maintenance, repair and testing of plant and equipment should be kept for future reference.

When undertaking maintenance of spray equipment, ensure that:

• spray equipment is regularly cleaned and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
• spray guns are tested in a safe manner
• spray booths are cleaned regularly. Cleaning of spray booths is made easier by covering exposed surfaces with non-flammable plastic film, which can be easily removed for cleaning or washing. The use of absorbent material, for example paper, cardboards, wooden platforms, should be avoided.
• the air filter medium is cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Frequent cleaning or replacement of the filter medium is required to prevent deposits blocking air flow. Never spray paint in the spray booth without an air filter medium
• pressurised paint pots and pressurised spray guns are cleaned in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Pressure from the gun and the paint pot should be released prior to cleaning. The gun should never be cleaned by covering the nozzle with a cloth or other material held in the hand, as this method of cleaning can result in paint injection injuries when used with airless spray guns.