Product Overview

Summary: This Paint and Surface Treatment Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for preparing, painting and treating surfaces safely and consistently across Australian workplaces. It helps you control hazardous chemicals, manage overspray and fumes, and deliver high-quality finishes while meeting your WHS obligations and environmental expectations.

Paint and surface treatment activities expose workers to a combination of chemical, physical and environmental hazards, from solvent vapours and isocyanates through to slips, trips and fire risks. At the same time, inconsistent preparation and application methods can lead to coating failures, rework and costly downtime. This Paint and Surface Treatment SOP provides a structured, step-by-step process that integrates safety, quality and environmental controls into every stage of the job – from surface inspection and preparation, through mixing and application, to curing, clean-up and waste disposal.

Designed specifically for Australian conditions and WHS requirements, the procedure supports businesses operating in workshops, construction sites, plant rooms and field locations. It helps you demonstrate due diligence under WHS legislation, standardise training for painters and maintenance teams, and reduce reliance on informal “tribal knowledge”. By implementing this SOP, your organisation can minimise exposure to hazardous substances, improve finish quality, extend asset life and reduce the risk of non-compliance, complaints and coating failures in the field.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, high-quality paint and coating finishes across all jobs and locations.
• Reduce worker exposure to hazardous chemicals, fumes and overspray through defined controls.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation, chemical handling requirements and relevant standards.
• Minimise rework, coating failures and unplanned downtime by standardising preparation and application steps.
• Streamline induction and refresher training for painters, contractors and maintenance personnel.

Who is this for?

• Painting Contractors
• Industrial Painters
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Workshop Managers
• Facilities Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Site Supervisors and Leading Hands
• Manufacturing and Production Managers
• Asset and Fleet Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to solvent vapours, isocyanates and other hazardous airborne contaminants
• Skin and eye contact with corrosive or irritant paints, primers and surface treatment chemicals
• Fire and explosion risks from flammable and combustible coatings and thinners
• Inhalation of dust and particulates during sanding, grinding and surface preparation
• Manual handling injuries from lifting, carrying and positioning paint containers and equipment
• Slips, trips and falls due to spills, overspray and poor housekeeping in work areas
• Working at heights while painting elevated structures, walls or plant
• Inadequate ventilation in confined or poorly ventilated spaces during painting and curing
• Environmental contamination from improper storage, use, wash-down and waste disposal of paints and solvents

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Competency, Training and Authorisation Requirements
• 6.0 Plant, Tools, Materials and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• 7.0 Pre-Start Checks and Job Planning
• 8.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for Painting and Surface Treatment
• 9.0 Surface Inspection and Preparation Procedures
• 10.0 Paint and Coating Selection, Mixing and Thinning
• 11.0 Application Methods (Brush, Roller, Spray and Specialised Treatments)
• 12.0 Ventilation, Fume and Overspray Control Measures
• 13.0 Working at Heights and Access Equipment Requirements
• 14.0 Controls for Confined Space and Poorly Ventilated Areas
• 15.0 Housekeeping, Spill Management and Fire Prevention
• 16.0 Curing, Drying Times and Quality Inspection Criteria
• 17.0 Cleaning of Equipment and Management of Wash-Down Areas
• 18.0 Storage, Labelling and Handling of Paints, Solvents and Chemicals
• 19.0 Waste Segregation, Environmental Controls and Disposal Procedures
• 20.0 Incident Reporting, Exposure Response and Emergency Procedures
• 21.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure
• 22.0 Document Control and Record Keeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Confined Spaces: Code of Practice (where painting in confined spaces applies)
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
• AS/NZS 2161 series: Occupational protective gloves
• AS/NZS 1337.1: Personal eye protection
• AS 1940: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids
• AS/NZS ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• Environment Protection (various state and territory) regulations relating to waste paint and solvent disposal