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Subchapter 7. General Industry Safety Orders
Group 16. Control of Hazardous Substances
Article 107. Dusts, Fumes, Mists, Vapors and Gases

§5153. Ventilation and Personal Protective Equipment Requirements for Spray Coating Operations.

(a) General. Spray coating operations whenever practicable shall be confined to properly designed, constructed and adequately ventilated spray booths or spray rooms which meet all the requirements of both this section and Article 137.

(b) Operation.

(1) Mechanical ventilation shall be kept in operation at all times while spraying operations are being conducted and for a sufficient time thereafter to allow flammable vapors from drying coated articles and drying finishing material residue to be exhausted.

(2) When spray is automatically applied without an attendant constantly on duty, the operating control of spray apparatus shall be so arranged that spray cannot be applied unless exhaust fans are in operation.

(1) Air exhausted from spray operations shall not be recirculated. Safe arrangements should be provided for an adequate supply of make-up air to compensate for air exhausted from spraying operations.

(2) No means of heating make-up air shall be located in a spray booth.

(d) Dilution of Flammable Vapors. Ventilation in spray facilities shall be sufficient to dilute flammable vapors to less than 20 percent of their lower explosive limit as specified in Section 5416. Lower explosive limits of common solvents are listed in NFPA No. 49-1973, Hazardous Chemicals Data.

(e) Ventilation Rates. The velocity of air into all openings of a spray booth shall be not less than that specified in Table V-6.


                          TABLE V-6 
          MINIMUM MAINTAINED VELOCITIES INTO SPRAY BOOTHS 

Operating Conditions for 
Objects Completely Inside    Crossdraft,     Airflow Velocities,   f.p.m. 
        Booth                  f.p.m.         Average              Minimum 
Electrostatic and automatic 
  airless operation.......... Up to 50        60 large booth          60 
                                              100 small booth         75 
Air-operated guns, manual 
  or automatic............... Up to 50        100 large booth         75 
                                              150 small booth        125 
Air-operated guns, manual 
  or automatic............... From 50 to 100    150 large booth      125 
                                                200 small booth      150

NOTE: A large booth is a walk-in size booth.

(f) Downdraft Booths.

Where downdraft booths are provided with doors, such doors shall be closed when spray painting.

(g) Respiratory Protection.

A spray booth operator is required to wear a respirator when he is positioned downstream from the object being sprayed. Respirator use shall conform to the requirements of Section 5144. (Title 24, T8-5153(a), (b), (c), (d), (e))

NOTE: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 7-18-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 29).

2. Editorial correction of subsection (a) (Register 76, No. 10).

3. Amendment filed 7-16-76; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 76, No. 29).

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