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Ten bodyshop myths that can take your breath away

Vehicle paint sprayers are 90 times more likely to get asthma than the average worker. 1 in 10 of workers in bodyshops who get asthma from isocyanates are not sprayers.

  1. "We use water-based /UV-cured paints, which are isocyanate-free. Anyway, isocyanates are going to be banned"[48]
  2. "Modern guns don't mist like the old ones so are much safer"[49]
  3. "It won't affect me, I wear a mask"[50]
  4. "I work in a booth so the air is kept clear"[51]
  5. "I can go in the booth/spray room as soon as the mist has cleared"[52]
  6. "It's only a touch-up job, I can do that in the workshop"[53]
  7. "Isocyanates cause cancer but so does everything else these days."[54]
  8. "Asthma isn't serious – most kids have got it these days"[55]
  9. "The biggest problem is absorption through the skin but I wear gloves and an overall"[56]
  10. "I've got nothing to worry about, I've had my yearly check-up and it's all clear"[57]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Motor vehicle repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/introduction.htm
  3. Overview - Common MVR topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/index.htm
  4. Benzenehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/benzene.htm
  5. Choosing the correct gloveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/gloves.htm
  6. Cleaning/degreasing substances including valetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/degreaser.htm
  7. Electric and hybrid vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/electric-hybrid.htm
  8. Falls from heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/falls.htm
  9. Fire and explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/fire.htm
  10. Fluoroelastomershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/fluoroelastomers.htm
  11. General COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/general-coshh.htm
  12. Hand-arm vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/vibration.htm
  13. Harmful dusts - Inhalation and Dermatitis riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/dusts.htm
  14. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/manual.htm
  15. Noisehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/noise.htm
  16. Safety in the use of two-post vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/fallofflifts.htm
  17. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/slips.htm
  18. Storing and handling airbagshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/storing-handling-airbags-seat-belt.htm
  19. Struck by...https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/struckby.htm
  20. Updated guidance on vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/updated-guidance-on-vehicle-lifts.htm
  21. Used engine oilhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/oil.htm
  22. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/topics/transport.htm
  23. Overview - Bodyshopshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/index.htm
  24. 2-pack isocyanate paintshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/isocyanates.htm
  25. Bodyshop mythshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/index.htm
  26. COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/coshh-paintspraying.htm
  27. Measuring paint spray booth clearance timehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/cleartime.htm
  28. Overview - Mechanical repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/index.htm
  29. Asbestoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/asbestos.htm
  30. Hot work on wheelshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/hot-work-on-wheels.htm
  31. Tyre removal, replacement and inflationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/tyreremoval.htm
  32. Vehicle exhaust emissions (Diesel)https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/exhaust.htm
  33. Welding and flamecuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/welding.htm
  34. Wheel and tyre explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/wheel-and-tyres.htm
  35. Working under vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/under-vehicles.htm
  36. Overview - Roadside repair and recoveryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/roadside-repair/index.htm
  37. Automotive glazinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/roadside-repair/glazing.htm
  38. Essential precautionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/roadside-repair/essential-precautions.htm
  39. Repair or recovery of buses and coaches fitted with air suspensionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/roadside-repair/buses.htm
  40. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/index.htm
  41. COSHH essentialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/mvr.htm
  42. Overview - Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/statistics/index.htm
  43. Ill health statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/statistics/illhealthstats.htm
  44. Injury statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/statistics/injurystats.htm
  45. Useful external websiteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/links.htm
  46. Videoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/resources/videos/index.htm
  47. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/contact.htm
  48. "We use water-based /UV-cured paints, which are isocyanate-free. Anyway, isocyanates are going to be banned"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth1.htm
  49. "Modern guns don't mist like the old ones so are much safer"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth2.htm
  50. "It won't affect me, I wear a mask"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth3.htm
  51. "I work in a booth so the air is kept clear"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth4.htm
  52. "I can go in the booth/spray room as soon as the mist has cleared"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth5.htm
  53. "It's only a touch-up job, I can do that in the workshop"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth6.htm
  54. "Isocyanates cause cancer but so does everything else these days."https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth7.htm
  55. "Asthma isn't serious – most kids have got it these days"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth8.htm
  56. "The biggest problem is absorption through the skin but I wear gloves and an overall"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth9.htm
  57. "I've got nothing to worry about, I've had my yearly check-up and it's all clear"https://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/bodyshop/myths/myth10.htm
  58. Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg261.htm
  59. Tyre removal, replacement and inflationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/tyreremoval.htm
  60. Fatal accident during maintenance on multipiece vehicle wheel with pneumatic tyreshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MVR/mechanical-repair/wheel-and-tyres.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

MVR
Motor Vehicle Repair
COSHH
Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health

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Updated 2021-02-01