Spray painters/painting

A 50-year-old spray painter developed severe asthma soon after the introduction of a new paint containing IPDI. A bronchial challenge test with the paint gave a positive response. 

In another case, a spray painter developed tightness of the chest and dyspnea shortly after using a paint containing IPDI. The symptoms disappeared after a few days off work but recurred shortly after resumption of work. 

A case-control study of Guiguet et al. observed an increased risk for aplastic anaemia after exposure to paints (effective compounds in the paints are unknown), but no increased risk after exposure to solvents alone. Reduction of blood hemoglobin levels was shown after exposure to gasoline, car spray paint (xylene) and various solvents (house painters).An increased Hb level was noted, however, in a study of car and industrial spray painters. 

Manual painting occurs mostiy during touch-up or repair, and is best suited for piping, railings, and other hard to spray places. The conventional tools for manual apphcation are bmshes, rollers, paint pads, and paint mitts. These methods are very slow but are suitable for unskilled appHcators and allow the painter to work the coating deeply into the surface being painted. 

The use of kerosene as a solvent in paints and insecticides increases the likelihood of exposure by painters, particularly when spray applicators are used (Fidler et al. 1987), and in exterminators. Use of a respirator, alternate application methods (brush or roller), and increased ventilation can all reduce worker exposure to the solvent vapor. 

A study was conducted on 977 male painters who had worked for at least 3 months within 10 years prior to 1959 at two U.S. military aircraft maintenance bases where spray painting utilized zinc chromate primer paint. They were followed through 1977. There were 21 deaths due to respiratory cancers, compared with 11.4 expected based on national rates (SMR=184, p<0.01). When compared with national proportionate cancer mortality rates, however, the excess (SMR=146) was not significant (Dalager et al. 1980). 

In the 1950s, painters started using rollers to apply paint more rapidly than by brush or spray. It is often stated that roller application provides more uniform coats and smoother finish. While rollers are excellent for smoothing a finished coat, and may be satisfactory for application on a very smooth substrate such as steel sheet, they are not as satisfactory for application to rough surfaces such as concrete where the scrubbing action of a brush may better fill the irreg-... 

Usually the effects of solvents in paints and varnishes on health are dependent on concentration and exposure time. Adverse health effects may follow exposure to paints, varnishes and flieir solvents at the workplace. The conditions at paint and lacquer manufacturing sites (e.g., manufacturing mefliods, use of exhaust hoods, etc.) are responsible for the levels of evaporated solvents measured in the air. Adverse health effects depend on how the paint is applied, paint properties and working conditions (e.g., increased risk with spray painting). There is sufficient evidence to substantiate the fact that solvents to which painters have been exposed, are responsible for incidences of cancer. However, within paint manufacturing plants, this evidence is inadequate. ... 

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