Owen Streatfeild, market and strategy development manager for DuPont Performance Coatings ANZ, has vast experience in refinish. He reflects on what has contributed to the hugely improved working environment that bodyshops enjoy today.
It is at times like this, that you are given the opportunity to reflect on the changes that have shaped our industry over the past 30 years. I started in a role connected with our industry 32 years ago, when I walked into the refinish paint lab at Berger Paints, Rhodes, straight from university. Little did I know that over 30 years later I would still have refinish flowing through my veins.
Do we really have a safer work environment in 2012 than in 1982?
To answer that question we need to think of four key areas:
- Education and available knowledge
- Equipment, process and PPE (I would believe that 30 years ago everyone would have said “PP what”, not knowing it was personal protection equipment)
- Relative safety of materials/products being used including paint products
- Regulations, standards and statutory requirements
Education and available knowledge
In today’s world, safety is an integral part of every business and community. For the past 11 years I have been extremely fortunate to have been part of the global corporation DuPont, which has a long and distinguished history in regard to safety. Whether it is during a TAFE course, a supplier’s training course, I-Car class or a visit to local refinisher, there is a safety connection in some way, usually upfront or a significant element in the education process. The internet enables 24/7 access to training materials and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Working in a lab in 1982, the appearance of an MSDS was an absolute novelty. Now it is a right to have access to each and every product's MSDS. Education and available knowledge has impacted positively on our safety at work, but the critical outcome from this must be changes in behaviour.
Equipment, process and PPE
There have been massive changes from 1982 to 2012 in these areas. Remember the thermoplastic acrylic (TPA) lacquer days when some refinishers sprayed in a singlet, shorts and thongs in a tin shed with a hosed-down floor? The use of respiratory protection was possibly an afterthought, if considered at all.
In 2012 we now need spray booths that meet AS 4114, with an air-fed mask supplied by a separate line and suitable body coverings such as Tyvek overalls, as well as ensuring large solvent containers are earthed to reduce static build up. There has been a move to dry sanding since the 1990s and the dust extraction capabilities of the current sanding equipment minimises dust contact. PPE helps to minimise inhalation, ingestion and absorption. Also, many refinishers’ paint mix rooms are forced ventilated today. Such a mix room was extremely rare 30 years ago. With the substantial improvement in both quality and availability in equipment, process and PPE there is little doubt that a safer working environment now exists.
Materials used in refinishing
Has paint changed? Yes, a lot. Firstly there are now waterborne paint products and from testimonials from refinisher body shops, many painters hold true to the following: “I am not going back to solvent... waterborne gives me a better working environment as well as a better job.”
All lead-based paint has been eliminated and also a number of solvents that were deemed a higher risk have been replaced. With the drive to HS and VHS products, solvent concentration has also been significantly reduced. Again, the evidence is strong that the working environment is safer due to changes in paint technology, but please ensure the right PPE is always worn.
Regulation, standards and statutory requirements
Everyone will acknowledge that the increase in regulation, standards and statutory requirements makes it tougher on employers and body shop owners. The need for signage, separation distances, flammable goods storage requirements, noise minimisation, fire protection and prevention are examples of how Work Cover and other similar government bodies play both policeman and teacher/helper today, which was not apparent in 1982.
Our industry can now offer a significantly safer working environment. Each individual through their own behaviour and behaviour of work colleagues will determine the degree of positive impact.
Congratulations to Paint and Panel on their 30th birthday.