#ResidentialPaintersSydney – Workplace Health and Safety – Personal Protective Equipment

#HousePaintersSydney

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment): 

Clothing:

• Clothing for painters should protect against hazards of chip removal (abrasive blasting, water blasting, chipping, abrasive wheels etc.), chemicals (solvents, paints, acids etc.), and environment (dust, fume etc.).

• Clothing, e.g. cotton overalls or disposable overalls, should be clean and cover all, exposed parts of the body.

• Clothing should have nothing hanging loose, such as ties, cuffs, jewelry, or ripped areas that can get caught on projections and cause falls or accidents,

Caps:

• A painter\’s cap, or sun hat, should be worn when working.

• In industrial and construction areas, a hard hat should be worn. (Ear protection should be used when required as frequent noise or loud noises can damage hearing. In such cases, earplugs or earmuffs should be worn).

Shoes:

• Steel-toed shoes should be worn to help prevent toes from being crushed by falling objects.

• Shoes should have slip-resistant soles to prevent falls on slippery surfaces.

• Shoes should have a heavy sole and strong arch support.

Eyes and Face Protection:

• When carrying out general sanding or paint removal, safety glasses, goggles should be worn.

• For heavier work, like abrasive blasting and water blasting, full-face cover helmets and hoods should be worn.

• Face shields and hoods should be worn when using chemicals.

• Face shields should be worn when using high-pressure water blasting equipment.

Gloves:

• Gloves are important items of clothing. Different types of gloves protect against different hazards:

• Leather gloves should be worn for blasting or rigging cables and lines. Cloth gloves should be used for general work like paint spraying or rolling.

• Chemical and solvent resistant rubber gloves should be worn when working with dangerous liquids or chemicals.

Respirators:

Respirators are required when the atmosphere at the job site contains dust or toxic chemicals (during paint spraying, solvent use, blasting, cleaning etc.). Respirators should be positive or negative fit tested before use.

There are several types of respirators and are rated for a level of protection:

• Air Purifying Respirators

1. P1 – mechanically generated particles e.g. nuisance dust.

2. P2 – thermally generated fumes or vapour e.g. welding fume or hazardous substances vapour.

• Supplied Air Respirators:

P3 – These respirators are used in confined areas where there is not enough breathable air – Immediate threat to life and health. A fresh air blower supplies air through a hose to a hood enclosing the worker\’s head, or to a mask, which is tightly sealed around the worker\’s face.

Note: For health reasons, respirators or face-masks belonging to others, should not be used.

Clean Up:

Personal hygiene is important and a thorough clean up is required before:

• eating, drinking, or smoking. This helps prevent ingestion of toxic materials.

• leaving the job.

A hand cleaner should be used to clean skin. Paint solvents should be avoided as they can be absorbed through the skin into the body and can cause serious illness. Safety instructions provided containers of the fluids should always be followed.

Personnel Actions/Responsibilities:

Appropriate clothes and safety equipment should be used for protection and proper attitudes should be applied regarding responsibilities for all concerned, eg:

• Watch out for fellow workers, look for, and warn against, possible accident situations.

• Stay up to date on current safety regulations.

• Contribute to safe working conditions.

• Keep clothing, as well as body, clean.

 

Painting Services Sydney, Residential Painters Sydney For more information about any Painting and Decorating tasks please Call Bloomin’Good Sydney Painters on 1800 204 145.