When it comes to industrial and commercial painting, safety must always come first. At Halls Decorators, we prioritise the wellbeing of our team and clients across every project we undertake. Our decades of experience working in factories, warehouses, and commercial spaces has taught us that proper safety protocols aren’t just good practice – they’re essential to delivering high-quality results without incidents.
This guide explores the key health and safety considerations for industrial painting projects and explains how we maintain our excellent safety record while delivering outstanding work.
Common Health Risks in Industrial Painting Projects
Industrial painting involves numerous potential hazards that must be properly managed. Our team regularly handles these risks through careful planning and preparation.
Chemical Exposure Concerns
Industrial paints, solvents, and coatings contain various compounds that can harm health through skin contact, inhalation, or accidental ingestion. Solvent-based products often present the highest risk, with potential symptoms ranging from short-term dizziness to long-term organ damage with repeated exposure.
For our industrial painting services, we often work with specialised coatings that require extra care in handling. Our team receives specific training on each product type before use.
Respiratory Protection Requirements
Paint fumes, dust from preparation work, and spray particles all pose respiratory risks. Different painting techniques create different levels of risk – with spray painting generally creating the highest inhalation hazard.
Proper respiratory protection varies by task:
- Basic preparation might need only a dust mask
- Brush and roller application of standard paints typically requires a half-face respirator
- Industrial and commercial spray painting demands powered respirators or air-fed systems for certain coatings
We carefully assess each project’s respiratory risks and equip our team with appropriate protection. For industrial spray applications, we use only properly maintained breathing apparatus with the correct filters for the specific materials being applied.
Working with Specialised Coatings
Industrial environments often require specialised coatings that bring unique safety challenges:
Fire-Resistant Coatings
Our fire protection painting contractors work with intumescent and other fire-resistant coatings that demand precise application. These materials must be handled according to strict manufacturer guidelines to ensure both applicator safety and the effectiveness of the final fire protection system.
Chemical-Resistant Finishes
In factories and processing facilities, chemical-resistant coatings often contain potent compounds themselves. Our team follows specific safety protocols when applying these specialised materials, including extended ventilation periods and enhanced PPE requirements.
Heavy-Duty Floor Coatings
Industrial floor painting presents unique challenges. The epoxy and polyurethane systems used for industrial floors often contain strong chemicals that require careful handling. The application process also creates slip hazards that must be properly managed and signposted.
Essential Safety Equipment for Industrial Painters
Personal protective equipment (PPE) forms the last line of defence against workplace hazards. For industrial painting, this equipment must be carefully selected based on the specific materials and techniques being used.
Respiratory Equipment Selection
Different painting tasks require different levels of respiratory protection:
Disposable masks provide basic protection for light dust during minor preparation work. Half-face respirators with appropriate filters protect against most paint vapours when applying standard coatings with brush or roller. For spray application or when working with isocyanate-containing materials, we use only air-fed breathing apparatus that provides clean air from an external source.
Regular fit testing ensures respirators provide proper protection, as even small gaps can allow hazardous substances to bypass filters. We train our team to inspect, clean and maintain their respiratory equipment daily.
Skin and Eye Protection
Paint splashes, preparation dust, and chemical contact all threaten skin and eye health. Our standard protective gear includes:
Nitrile gloves provide chemical resistance without sacrificing dexterity for most painting tasks. For more aggressive chemicals, we use heavy-duty gloves with extended cuffs. Safety eyewear ranges from basic glasses for low-risk tasks to full face shields when working with highly irritant materials. Coveralls protect clothing and skin from contamination, with disposable suits used for the most hazardous materials.
After work, proper washing facilities and skin care products help prevent dermatitis – a common issue for painters exposed to solvents and cleaning products.
Height Safety During Industrial Painting Projects
Falls remain one of the biggest risks in industrial painting. Many factory, warehouse & industrial units painting services require working at significant heights to access ceilings, upper walls, and structural elements.
Access Equipment Selection and Use
We carefully select the right access equipment for each task:
Stepladders serve for brief, low-height tasks where reaching directly overhead is unnecessary. Extension ladders provide access for inspection and brief work but never for extended painting sessions. Mobile scaffold towers offer stable platforms for medium-height work, with guard rails protecting against falls. For high-level access, mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) provide the safest solution when properly used.
All our team members hold relevant training certifications for the equipment they use. PASMA cards for mobile scaffold towers and IPAF licences for powered access platforms ensure competent operation of these complex systems.
Planning for High-Level Work
Before beginning any high-level machinery painting or ceiling work, we conduct thorough planning:
- We inspect all access equipment before use
- We establish exclusion zones beneath working areas
- We secure tools with lanyards to prevent dropped objects
- We rotate tasks to prevent fatigue during overhead work
- We check for fragile surfaces like skylights before accessing roof areas
This careful preparation helps us maintain our excellent safety record even when working at significant heights in challenging industrial environments.
Risk Assessment and Method Statements
Every industrial painting project begins with detailed risk assessment. These RAMS documents identify potential hazards and establish control measures to mitigate risks before work begins.
Creating Effective Risk Assessments
Our risk assessments examine specific hazards related to:
The physical environment, including access issues, existing contamination, and space constraints. Materials being used, with full reference to data sheets and handling requirements. Working methods, particularly focusing on spray application, confined spaces, or high-level access. Nearby activities that might affect our work or be affected by our operations.
For each identified risk, we establish practical control measures following the hierarchy of control: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally personal protective equipment.
Method Statements for Complex Tasks
Method statements provide step-by-step procedures for safely completing complex tasks. For industrial painting projects, these typically cover:
Site setup and security arrangements. Material delivery, storage and waste management procedures. Detailed work sequence with specific safety measures at each stage. Emergency procedures for spills, fire or accidents.
These documents form part of our communication with clients, ensuring everyone understands how work will proceed safely. For commercial painting services in occupied buildings, these plans include measures to protect building users from exposure to paint materials and work activities.
Our Safety Accreditations and Training
At Halls Decorators, we maintain numerous safety accreditations that demonstrate our commitment to best practices:
CHAS Certification
We hold full CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) accreditation, renewed annually following independent assessment. This certification examines all aspects of our health and safety management from policy to implementation.
CSCS Qualification
Our painting teams hold appropriate CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) cards, confirming they have the training and qualifications required for their roles. This gold-standard industry certification ensures our team understands construction site safety requirements.
Specialist Training
Beyond these core certifications, our team receives specialist training in:
- Safe handling of hazardous materials
- Working at height techniques and equipment use
- Confined space entry and emergency procedures
- Spray application methods and equipment maintenance
- Fire safety and emergency response
This ongoing training ensures our team stays current with best practices and regulatory requirements.
Environmental Considerations in Industrial Painting
Safety extends beyond human health to environmental protection. Our Waste Carriers Licence enables us to transport and dispose of painting waste legally and responsibly.
Managing Paint Waste
Leftover paints, empty containers, and cleaning materials all require proper handling. We:
- Accurately estimate materials to minimise leftover product
- Recycle empty metal and plastic containers where facilities exist
- Ensure solvent-soaked rags are stored in fire-safe containers
- Use licensed waste contractors for disposal of hazardous materials
Water from equipment cleaning receives special attention, with contaminated wash water collected rather than discharged to drains where it could harm waterways.
VOC Reduction Strategies
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contribute to air pollution and can harm health. We minimise these emissions by:
- Selecting low-VOC and water-based formulations where technically suitable
- Using efficient application methods that reduce overspray
- Ensuring proper ventilation during application and curing
- Sealing containers when not in use to prevent evaporation
These measures protect both our team and the wider environment from unnecessary chemical exposure.
Contact Halls Decorating & Painting Contractors Ltd for Safe Industrial Painting
Safety sits at the heart of everything we do at Halls Decorators. Our extensive experience with industrial and commercial painting projects has taught us that thorough planning, proper equipment, and well-trained staff are essential to completing work safely and to the highest standards.
If you’re planning an industrial painting project and want to work with a team that prioritises safety alongside quality, contact us today on 0800 567 7959 or through our website. We’ll be happy to discuss your requirements and explain how our safety-focused approach delivers superior results.