United States EPA 744-F-00-003 

Environmental Protection Agency June 2000 

Design for the Environment, Auto Refinishing Shop Project 

BEST PRACTICES FOR THE PAINT MIXING ROOM
 

 CUT SHOP WASTE AND POLLUTION SAVE MONEY 

REDUCE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS 

KEEP ALL CONTAINERS COVERED 

An open container of paint or solvent contaminates the air and wastes money. By putting a lid on it!–you will keep 

harmful vapors out of the air that you and your co-workers breathe. You’ll also save materials and money by not 

letting your expensive paints and coatings evaporate away or be ruined by exposure to air. 

INSTALL A VENTILATION SYSTEM OR 

PREFABRICATED MIXING ROOM 

Inadequate ventilation, common in many paint mixing rooms, poses 

a serious health and safety risk. A well-designed ventilation system 

will pull harmful vapors away from you and significantly improve 

air quality in the mixing room. To get the most protection from 

your ventilation, make sure you position vapor-generating materials 

and equipment in front of or near an exhaust outlet (e.g., install an 

exhaust hood behind the mixing table). A prefabricated mixing 

room has built-in ventilation. Prefab units come in a range of sizes 

and designs for convenient placement in the shop. Be sure to set up 

equipment such that the ventilation draws vapors away from work 

stations. 

Remember: all electrical equipment in the paint mixing room (e.g., switches, ventilation fans, lights, telephones) 

should be approved for Class I, Division 1 (explosive) environments. 

WEAR AIR-PURIFYING RESPIRATORS 

Vapor-generating materials and equipment pack most paint mixing rooms. A painter in a respirator is much less 

likely to breathe the harmful vapors in paints and solvents. When working in the mixing room, always use an airpurifying, respirator with organic vapor cartridges. This respirator should provide adequate protection for typical 

mixing room tasks. 

Remember: for a tight-fitting air-purifying respirator to work properly, you must: (1) Make sure it forms a tight seal 

on your face (a clean shave where the mask touches your face is step one, followed by a “fit test” from a safety 

professional); and (2) Change the cartridges on a regular schedule, as specified by the manufacturer--once vapors 

saturate the cartridges, the respirator won’t protect you! Your employer should have an implemented filter change 

schedule as specified in 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(iii). 

WEAR CHEMICAL-RESISTANT GLOVES, CLOTHING -- AND EYE PROTECTION 

Your skin and eyes also need protection from hazardous paint materials. Many chemicals in coatings and solvents 

are not only strong irritants, but can pass through your skin and damage your body’s internal organs. Be aware of 

the variety of chemicals you use in the mixing room and choose chemical-resistant gloves and paint suits that offer 

adequate protection. 

For gloves, nitrile or butyl rubber make the grade, latex does not. Remember: even a more protective glove has a 

limited life span, especially if you use it when handling certain strong solvents–so, always follow the manufacturer’s 

recommended change schedule and never use a torn or punctured glove. 

Picture provided courtesy of CCAR-GreenLink® 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. 


Warning: Isocyanates, the hardening component in 

most clear coats, are strong skin and lung irritants-­

and the leading cause of occupational asthma. Recent 

studies indicate that skin contact with isocyanates 

may trigger an allergic reaction in your lungs. 

And don’t overlook your eyes! A full face piece 

respirator will provide eye protection, however, 

goggles or a face shield should be worn with a halfmask respirator (as described above). The respirator or 

goggles/face shield will keep strongly irritating and 

toxic chemicals from splashing in your eyes and face–and keep you from mistakenly rubbing your eyes with a 

contaminated hand. An eye wash station is a must for any auto refinishing shop. 

PRACTICE WASTE REDUCTION 

Shops that reduce waste do something good for the environment and their bottom line. In fact, more efficient use of 

paints and solvents lets you save twice: up-front, on the amount of materials you need per refinish job; and on the 

back end, in lower waste removal costs. 

Mix only the amount of paints and coatings you need. High-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) spray guns, 

recommended for all painting tasks (and required by law in certain areas), transfer paint much more efficiently than 

conventional guns; the result: you use–and need to mix–far less paint. 

Another good practice is to store and reuse left-over primers and basecoats. Computer mixing systems, offered free 

by many paint companies, make it easier to mix smaller quantities of paint and to track and reuse any left-overs. 

USE AN AUTOMATED GUN CLEANER 

An automated gun cleaner also saves you money--and improves health and safety in your shop. These devices help 

you get the most mileage from your cleaning solvent, reduce shop waste, and minimize your contact with hazardous 

solvents. Select a model with a lid that covers the entire basin. If you select a model that allows manual precleaning in an open basin, make sure the basin is equipped with an exhaust fan to collect vapors before they escape 

into the room air. Remember: if equipped with an exhaust fan, the gun cleaner should only be used when the fan is 

connected to an exhaust outlet that removes the vapors from the room. Regardless of the type of gun cleaner you 

select, make sure you frequently inspect and maintain the unit - leaking hoses and lids with a poor fit can 

contaminate your mixing room with harmful solvent vapors. 

Before placing a used spray gun in the gun cleaner, pre-clean the gun cup to remove gross coating contamination. 

This practice extends the service life and effectiveness of the cleaning solvent used in the automated cleaning unit. 

For More Information on Best Paint Mixing Practices . . . 

Talk to Mary Cushmac (202-564-8803, cushmac.mary@epa.gov) or David DiFiore (202­

564-8796, difiore.david@epa.gov) of the DfE Project Team. 

THE DESIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AUTO REFINISHING SHOP PROJECT’S GOAL IS TO WORK WITH AUTO
 

REFINISHERS TO IDENTIFY AND ADOPT SAFER, CLEANER, MORE EFFICIENT PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES.
 

www.epa.gov/dfe/autobody/autobody.html