The number of powder coating installations has increased dramatically in the past two decades. There are over 2000 installations in North America and a larger number in the UK, though they are often on a smaller scale. On both sides of the Atlantic the number of installations is growing rapidly. In the USA the number of automatic systems each containing one or more powder coating booths, increased 23% from 1982 to 1989. According to studies which track the safety record of these operations, powder coatings do not appear to pose significant health hazards.

Design enhancements through the years have also emphasised safety. In the USA, according to the 1989 edition of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Bulletin 33, the cartridge collection system, now the industry standard, has the following safety record: |Since the integrated spray booth open powder collector was introduced in the US in 1978, the rate of fire occurrence has not changed significantly, but the ultimate results are substantially different. Although hundreds of fires have been reported, no explosions have occurred in this type of collector.’

Hazards The major hazards in powder coating are exposure to potentially toxic material and fire which can lead to a dust explosion. Powder coatings are a combination of resins, pigments, fillers, flow control agents, and catalysts. While some of these ingredients are considered toxic, studies confirm that most are relatively inert and safe when tested in formulated powder because of an absence of solvents. For this reason, most powder coatings are classified |nuisance dust’ instead of hazardous. Inhalation and skin contact are the likely means of exposure to powder dust.

Powder coating