Product Overview

Summary: This Spray Painting Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step framework for carrying out spray painting tasks safely, cleanly, and in full alignment with Australian WHS requirements. It helps you control hazardous chemicals, overspray, and ignition risks while improving finish quality and productivity across workshops, construction sites, and maintenance operations.

Spray painting work exposes workers to flammable vapours, hazardous chemicals, airborne particulates, and confined or poorly ventilated spaces. Without a structured procedure, it is easy for shortcuts to creep in—respirators are not fitted correctly, ventilation is inadequate, ignition sources are overlooked, and waste is handled poorly. This Spray Painting Safe Operating Procedure provides a practical, WHS-focused framework for planning, setting up, and completing spray painting tasks in a way that protects workers’ health, prevents fires and explosions, and delivers a consistent, high-quality finish.

Developed for Australian workplaces, this SOP guides users through pre-start inspections, selection and use of appropriate PPE, safe mixing and decanting of paints and thinners, control of overspray and fumes, and effective clean-up and waste disposal. It helps businesses demonstrate compliance with WHS legislation, hazardous chemicals and hazardous manual task requirements, and relevant Australian Standards for ventilation and respiratory protection. By standardising how spray painting is performed across your organisation, you reduce incident risk, improve training efficiency, and provide clear evidence of a robust safe system of work during audits, client prequalification, or regulator inspections.

Key Benefits

• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS obligations for hazardous chemicals, flammable vapours, and airborne contaminants.
• Reduce the risk of fire, explosion, and acute solvent exposure by standardising safe setup, ventilation, and ignition control practices.
• Protect workers from long-term health effects such as respiratory disease and dermatitis through correct PPE selection, fit, and maintenance.
• Improve finish quality and reduce rework by defining consistent spray techniques, environmental controls, and equipment checks.
• Streamline onboarding and refresher training by providing a clear, documented process that supervisors and trainers can rely on.

Who is this for?

• Spray Painters
• Industrial Painters
• Automotive Refinish Technicians
• Maintenance Technicians
• Workshop Supervisors
• Site Supervisors
• WHS Advisors and Safety Officers
• Production Managers
• Facilities and Asset Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Inhalation of solvent vapours and isocyanates from paints and hardeners
• Skin and eye contact with hazardous chemicals, including thinners and cleaning agents
• Fire and explosion risks from flammable and combustible vapours and overspray
• Asphyxiation or oxygen displacement in poorly ventilated or confined spaces
• Static electricity build-up and ignition during spraying and cleaning
• Noise exposure from compressors, ventilation systems, and spray equipment
• Manual handling injuries from moving panels, components, paint containers, and equipment
• Slip and trip hazards from overspray, spills, hoses, and air lines on the floor
• Environmental contamination from incorrect disposal of paints, solvents, and filters

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 5.0 Competency, Training and Authorisation Requirements
• 6.0 Required Tools, Equipment and Materials
• 7.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 8.0 Pre-Start Checks and Work Area Preparation
• 9.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Controls for Spray Painting
• 10.0 Safe Handling, Mixing and Decanting of Paints and Solvents
• 11.0 Ventilation, Spray Booth and Overspray Control Requirements
• 12.0 Step-by-Step Spray Painting Procedure
• 13.0 Working at Height and Access Equipment (if applicable)
• 14.0 Housekeeping, Clean-Up and Waste Disposal
• 15.0 Equipment Shutdown, Cleaning and Maintenance
• 16.0 Emergency Procedures (Spills, Fires, Exposures and First Aid)
• 17.0 Health Monitoring and Exposure Management (where required)
• 18.0 Record Keeping, Inspections and Review
• 19.0 Document Control and Revision History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (as adopted in relevant Australian state or territory)
• 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 (where elevated work platforms or ladders are used for spraying)
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Code of Practice
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
• AS/NZS 2161: Occupational protective gloves (series)
• AS/NZS 1337.1: Personal eye protection
• AS/NZS 60079 (series): Explosive atmospheres (for hazardous area considerations where applicable)
• AS 4114: Spray painting booths, designated spray painting areas and paint mixing rooms (where applicable)