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AL58  
#1 Posted : 07 November 2017 09:50:56(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
AL58

We have a non enclosed spray booth which we use to spray axles & bogies in it measures approx 5mtrs wide 4 mttrs deep & 5 mtrs high .

Our users insist on leaving old paint tins & thinner tins in the booth claiming it is the best place for them to be to dry out . My argument on this is we should remove them straight away as they could be classed as an exelerant in a fire situatioin .

Once again guidance would be very much appreciated as to legal requirements on this or if there are non best practice

hilary  
#2 Posted : 07 November 2017 10:17:11(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
hilary

The answer very much depends on what other facilities you have available for this.  We have a dregs drum where mixed waste paints and thinners are poured into and it gets disposed of as special waste.  This is located in the spray booth mixing room which is purpose built and fully extracted all the time with a closed lid to the drum and a self closing door to the mixing room.  We also have a waste paint store where we keep part cans of paint with the lids on which are then disposed of as special waste. 

My own opinion is that you would not have a leg to stand on if you continued this practice and had a fire.  I would insist on lids being put back on, the cans being put into a proper approved paint store and all part cans of paint and solvent being disposed of as hazardous waste.  It's more expensive but it's the right thing to do to avoid all these potential issues.

Although parts of the Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefield Petroleum Gases Regulations have been revoked by DSEAR, it is still worth looking at these as they had very good guidelines on the storage requirements for these items.

AL58  
#3 Posted : 07 November 2017 11:19:17(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
AL58

Hilary

Thank you for your response .

These tins etc that they insist on leaving are esentially empty apart from the last few dregs that are always left .

There argument is that leaving them within the spray booth is the best place for them to dry .

I think going forward we would be best to insist that the tins remain withinb the paint store at all times during pouring mixing etc which I also (with my limited knowlwdge ) believe we should be doing anyway .

I  will certainly have a look at the DSEAR guidlaines as you suggested

Again thanks for the response

Ian Bell2  
#4 Posted : 07 November 2017 12:35:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell2

HSE guidance book HS(G) 140 Handling flammable liquids is the guide you need, to help you complete your DSEAR risk assessment.
AL58  
#5 Posted : 07 November 2017 16:07:45(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
AL58

HI Ian bell2 Once again thank you for the input

stevie40  
#6 Posted : 16 November 2017 10:41:55(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevie40

Take a look at RisCAuthority guidance documents as well. The following are relevant:-

http://www.riscauthority.co.uk/free-document-library/RISCAuthority-Library_detail.rc32-recommendations-for-paint-spraying.html

and

http://www.riscauthority.co.uk/free-document-library/RISCAuthority-Library_detail.rc31-recommendations-in-automotive-refinishing-and-paint-spraying.html

RISCAuthority is an annually funded research scheme supported by a significant group of UK insurers that conducts research in support of the development and dissemination of best practice on the protection of property and business. 

The housekeeping practices you describe would almost certainly be pulled up by an insurer's risk surveyor (like me). RISCA docs will help to persuade management that the practices seen are sloppy and put the companies buildings and profits at risk - as well as the safety of their staff in a fire situation. 

Hsquared14  
#7 Posted : 16 November 2017 13:52:15(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

To add to Steve's response (based on 11 years working in the paint industry and 20yrs doing insurance surveys) I can confirm that nominally empty paint tins should not be left in the spray booth to dry out. They should go immediately into a metal wastes container with a lid. Contaminated paint tins even if the content is dry will not be acceptable in general wastes and will need specialist waste disposal. There are a number of considerations including COSHH - this practice allows additional exposure of the workforce to solvent vapour, DSEAR - fire risks relating to the solvent vapour, potentially as well environmental legislation if your spray booth requires consents for emmissions to atmosphere, you are supposed to take care to aviod "fugitive" emmissions as much as possible. This practice represents poor housekeeping and brings with it a number of questions and potential problems, and a proper system is needed to manage and control this type of waste.
AL58  
#8 Posted : 17 November 2017 10:18:24(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
AL58

stevie 40 & hsquared14 once again thanks for the really helpful replys you are confirming all my own thoughts we have one of those on site  sages who is all knowing on every subject under the stars  without having to read up on a subject so just needed to confirm my own understanding was correct.

toe  
#9 Posted : 26 November 2017 11:04:02(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
toe

When I was involved in motor vehicle bodyshop repair some time ago, I am positive that the HSE recommended this practice, however I cannot find the HSE guidance document that suggested it – maybe it has been removed.

 

From memory, the guidance stated that nominally empty paint tins, thinner tins, gun cleaner etc… were to be placed into the spray booth without lids during the baking cycle. This evaporated the contents and made them empty in which they could be place into the waste metal skip for removal. At the time, this appeared to be the industry norm for making nominally empty tins of flammable materials safe for onward disposal.

 I cannot see why this practice would pose any additional risk (remember it’s a spray  booth) and as to why the advice in previous post is suggesting it should not be done! Unless the non-enclosed spray booth is the reason. 

It has to be noted that the VOC tonnage registration into the atmosphere is calculated on the contents of the drum/tin, so this should not present an issue, just in case someone decides to us this as a reason for their argument. In my view an empty tin/drum is safer that a nominally empty tin/drum for transportation.

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