Determining current health and safety practices, awareness of HSE initiatives and economic trends in relation to isocyanate paint use in the MVR sector

Broughton A, Sumption F, Jagger N, Tyers C | Report RR802 | Health and Safety Executive | Jun 2010

This report contains the main results of research examining health and safety practices and procedures in relation to the use of isocyanate-based paints in the motor vehicle repair (MVR) sector.

The main objective of this research was to determine current health and safety practices in the motor vehicle repair sector in relation to the use of isocyanate paint spray, focusing in particular on the use of masks and the use of spray booths. The intention was to gather data about practice, in order to gain a view of the overall state of play in relation to the health and safety practices that determine isocyanate use in the sector. The aim was that this will, in turn, make it possible and viable for the HSE to develop a baseline for targeting future embedding activity.

The report is based on a telephone survey of 500 motor vehicle repair bodyshops and visits to 30 bodyshops, during which face-to-face interviews were carried out with bodyshop managers and sprayers.