Paint Industry Compliance Test

Paints and coatings is a sector that brings color to our daily lives, and Turkey ranks 5th in paints and coatings production in Europe, after Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy (Source: Orr & Boss, Inc. Estimates). If we break down paints and coatings production into general categories;

However, when examined specifically for personal protective equipment (PPE), it is possible to distinguish between paints and powder coatings. In both processes, during the initial stages of powder weighing and pre-mixing, it is very important to use respiratory, eye and body protective equipment. Depending on the process scale, in some cases direct pouring from big bags is possible, while in other cases it is possible to pour gram by gram with the aid of precision scales. In any case, when working with powder raw materials, it is essential that the person's PPE is provided correctly and that the worker uses the provided PPE correctly. In Turkey, workers in these fields are generally provided with single-use dust/particulate masks and/or dust pads fitted half-face masks. When these types of negative pressure masks are provided to workers, they must pass a fit test.

Fit testing for masks can be of two types.

The first is qualitative, in which the mask's fit to the face is tested based on the person's sense of taste and/or whether the mask is worn correctly. The second is called quantitative and is a method that shares the same criteria through a special device with the occupational safety team using numeric results. In weighing and pre-mixing areas, fully enclosed (diving type) goggles must be used to also protect the eyes. However, in an 8-hour work shift, workers generally do not want to wear goggles due to sweating and therefore continue to work with only masks. In any case, since absorption through the eyes and/or eye redness may occur, it is recommended to use powered air-purifying respirators in this area, which will both increase worker comfort and raise the protection level to the highest classes. Since powered air-purifying respirators operate using the positive pressure method, no additional fit test is required. Several other advantages of powered air-purifying respirators include the ease of use by workers wearing glasses, the ability to be used by workers with (a certain amount of) beard, improved communication, etc. For short-duration weighing and pre-mixing, mask use combined with non-fogging fully enclosed goggles is mandatory instead of powered air-purifying respirators. In both of these stages, since protection against dusts is involved, it is beneficial to wear a protective suit of category 3, type 5 (EN ISO 13982) (if unsure about the type of dust, technical support should be requested from the manufacturer). For chemicals used in the dispersion/mixing tank section, a Chemical Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be reviewed, and then the type of mask and filter to be used should be decided according to the MSDS. The table below shows in general which filter type should be used for which types of compounds, however, filter type selection alone is not sufficient. At the same time, the filter class must also be determined based on environmental and/or personal exposure results. The end of the service life of activated carbon filters is understood by the chemical odor reaching the worker. As can be deduced from this, activated carbon filters are suitable for odorous chemicals.

Color Code	Filter Type	Primary Application Areas
Brown	A	Organic gases and vapors with boiling point greater than 65oC
Gray	B	Inorganic gases and vapors
Yellow	E	Acid gases
Green	K	Ammonia and its derivatives
Olive Green	F	Formaldehyde
Brown	AX	Organic gases and vapors with boiling point less than 65oC
Red	Hg	Mercury vapors
White	P	Particulates

Powder coatings production includes extruder and mill lines in addition to those in liquid paints and coatings production. Both lines contain powder, but beyond the dust-related risks listed above, there is another risk: noise. Therefore, the use of hearing protection equipment is recommended based on noise levels generated at these stages.

The general approach at paints and coatings manufacturers is to use earplugs. However, there are two critical points in earplug use. The first is whether the selected earplug fits properly in the person's ear canal, and the second is whether the person inserts it correctly. The only method to ensure both of these is through fit testing called EARfit for hearing protection equipment (both earplugs and earmuffs). The general logic of these tests is as follows. We have a device that produces test noise. This device produces sound at 7 different frequencies, and through a special probe earplug/earmuff with microphones both inside and outside, noise levels entering both inside and outside the ear are recorded. Using software, the difference between the two is measured, converted into meaningful values, and shows how much attenuation the hearing protector provides based on how it is currently fitted. This fit testing is generally mandatory in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States at job entry and at certain intervals, and allows the data from tests conducted for each worker to be stored in a computer system. Paints and coatings are broadly a sub-sector of the chemical industry. For this reason, protection of respiration, eyes, body, and hearing is essential. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, selecting PPE correctly is as important as ensuring that workers wear the provided PPE correctly. For this reason, fit testing should be part of our daily routine. Mirey Bonfil Technical Coordinator 3M