Presented by:

Carol Hetfield, US EPA Office of Pollution Prevention 

and Toxics

and

Kevin Sikora, CIH, CSP, Eastern Research Group, Inc.
EPA’s Spray Polyurethane 

Workgroup

 Partnership with:

 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

 The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

2

 Working with industry and other stakeholders to:

 Improve availability of accurate/comprehensive hazard information

 Develop and communicate best practices to prevent exposures

 Address the use of inaccurate or misleading marketing claims

 Address exposure assessment data and research gaps
What are the Health Risks with 

SPF Application

 Sensitization and asthma, a potentially life-threatening 

disease

 Respiratory problems and other breathing difficulties

3

 Skin and eye irritation

 Other potential adverse health effects
Why is Ventilation Important

 Airborne contaminants are generated during the 

application process 

 Vapors and mists generated during spraying

 Dusts/particulates generated during trimming/cutting/grinding

4

 Dusts/particulates generated during trimming/cutting/grinding

 Vapors also emitted during curing 

 Workers and others in the area can breath airborne 

contaminants or get them on the skin/eyes

 Properly designed ventilation can help reduce airborne 

contaminants 

 Poorly designed ventilation could make matters worse
Draft Ventilation Guidance

for Spray Polyurethane Foam Application

5
Fundamentals of Ventilation

Two Basic Types of Ventilation

 General exhaust ventilation

 Inside air is removed from the room or area and replaced 

with outside air 

6

 Commonly referred to as dilution ventilation

 Local exhaust ventilation

 Exhaust hood is located at the source of contamination to 

capture contaminant before it can mix with air in the rest of 

the room

 Recommended for controlling hazardous airborne 

contaminants
SPF Ventilation Challenges

 Each work site is different

 Point of application (the source of airborne contaminants) 

is constantly moving

7

 One size fits all approach will not work

 Need to understand principles of ventilation to ensure 

effective design

 The draft fact sheet focuses on key principles to enable 

applicators
Basic Ventilation Design Principles

Key Components of a Ventilation System

 Work space to be ventilated

 Exhaust system

8

 Make up air

Understanding how these components work together is a key to 

effective design
Establish Air Flow Across

Spraying Area 

Key Principles

 Flow across the entire work space

 Draw contaminants away from workers

9

 Draw contaminants away from workers

Related Tips

 Avoid improper fan placement 

 Place exhaust hood as close to application point as 

possible

Establish an Enclosure to

Isolate Contaminants

Key Principles

 Prevents migration of contaminants to other areas

 Minimizes the size of the area to be exhausted

11

 Minimizes the size of the area to be exhausted

Related Tips

 Establish a negative pressure in the area 

 Avoid short circuits

 Seal off building HVAC openings

Direct Exhaust to a Safe Location

Key Principles

 Exhaust outdoors away from people

 Establish a control zone to keep people out

Watch out for building make up air intakes

13

 Watch out for building make up air intakes

Related Tips

 Install particulate filters 

 Removes particulate from exhausted air

 Protects fan

 Fan may need to be explosion proof...check with SPF 

manufacturer
Ensure Adequate Ventilation 

After Application

 Check with the manufacture to determine safe re-entry 

times

 Minimize worker re-entry during this time

14

 Ensure that those entering have proper protective 

equipment

 Restrict occupant re-entry until the building has been 

fully ventilated and cleaned
Where to Get More Information

 EPA’s DfE SPF website at http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/spf/

spray_polyurethane_foam.html

 NIOSH Alert on Spray-on Truck Bed Lining Operations at 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-149/default.html

 OSHA’s isocyanates website at 

15

 OSHA’s isocyanates website at 

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/index.html

 American Chemistry Council—Center for the Polyurethanes Industry 

website at http://www.spraypolyurethane.org/

 Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance’s website at http://www.sprayfoam.org/

 OSHA’s Green Jobs Hazards website at 

http://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/index.html

 OSHA’s Green Jobs Ventilation page 

http://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/weather_ventilation.html
Draft Ventilation Guidance

for Spray Polyurethane Foam Application 

Questions?

16