The health benefits of automated spray booths and how they can help your business reduce occupational health risks

Engineering and manufacturing companies have reaped the benefits of the advances in modern technology, particularly in regards to spray booths. It is not only the ingredients and chemical safety of the paints that have evolved, but the application from the spray booths themselves as well. 

Not only are they required for your employees’ safety, but failing to use a spray booth as part of your manufacturing or finishing process is unlawful. Below we have listed the benefits to occupational health for employees when using automated spray booths. 

Benefits to employee health

Controlled Environment

A controlled environment is a safe environment – there are all sorts of factors that can affect the safety of the environment inside a spray booth. 

Environmental issues such as temperature, dust, and other elements are all significant sources of worry. However, a spray booth creates a controlled environment, removing these worries and allowing you to concentrate on the task. Dust particles can cause a variety of health concerns, depending on the type of particles; some of these health effects include: 

• Allergic and hypersensitivity reactions
• Bacterial and fungal infections
• Irritation of the nose and throat
• Asthma
• Blood poisoning 
• Lung scarring
• Cancer

Automated spray booths can expel all dust particles which significantly reduces any of the above risks to your employees. 

Reduction in injuries

Automation stops workers from doing repetitive tasks which could cause strain or injury to various parts of the body. It also allows workers to do more skilled labour jobs, which require judgement and in depth decision making, resulting in a more active mind and job satisfaction. 

Hazardous materials

Your coating materials’ fumes and particles travel further than you believe, posing a health and safety risk to your staff. Spray booths, when used in conjunction with a spray booth filters, can assist in keeping harmful materials contained and the air in your workplace clean.

Occupational asthma

Isocyanate-containing paints have been the leading cause of occupational asthma in the United Kingdom. When compared to the rest of the UK working population, paint sprayers have a 90-fold higher chance of developing asthma. 

According to the HSE website, approximately 50 sprayers are diagnosed with isocyanate asthma each year, with the majority of them having to leave the sector. The industry has also seen rising cases of dermatitis caused by skin contact. An automated spray booth reduces these conditions significantly as the harmful elements from the Isocyanate paints are extracted through filtration. 

Dust extraction systems from Junair

Our dust extraction systems can be custom designed and fitted to any workshop size, and can be tailored to your specific workshop requirements. Our systems are powerful however extremely quiet, so will not interrupt the working day. If you want to find out more get in touch and one of our expert team members will be more than happy to help you.

Alternatively, for further information about our award-winning spray booth products and dust extraction equipment, please call our helpful team on 01706 363 555 or email your enquiry to sales@junair.co.uk

Written by