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Doing the job smarter

The following sections outline suggested 'good practice' procedures for each stage of a painting project.

Preparation

Develop a management plan for the job before starting:

1. Check the location of stormwater drains (and signpost if necessary)
2. Develop a spill clean-up plan and make sure all staff know what to do in the event of a spill
3. Designate a paint contractor's area (for large jobs). This area should be signposted, enclosed, cool and well ventilated, and include the following:

• A paint and equipment storage area. Allow at least one paint brush or roller per type and colour of paint used on the project, so that equipment does not have to be washed out prematurely.
• Storage areas for equipment in current use. Keep paint types such as water-based and solvent-based separate. For example, use a roller-sleeve canister storage system, allocated by paint type and colour.
• Paint wash-out areas. Again, keep paint types such as water-based and solvent-based separate.
• Waste storage areas for dry empty containers before collection for recycling. Separate these into steel, plastic and so on.
• A general waste area with a general waste bin and another bin for holding any rags or paper that carry solvent or solvent-based paint. This bin should hold sufficient water to cover the rags and paper, or be made of non-combustible material such as metal with a close-fitting lid. If practical, rags and paper can be contained in an area that is open to allow air drying.
• Storage areas for flammable goods, posted with flammable goods signage appropriate to the type of solvent or paint (see illustration).

 

On smaller projects or in occupied home units, houses and offices, it may not be possible or practical to follow all the recommended steps. In these cases, follow as many as you can and always remain aware of the possibility of polluting the environment.

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Equipment

Each paint wash-out area should include the following:

1. Three or more containers, holding sufficient solvent or water in which to dip brushes and rollers, and with sufficient height above the liquid to allow high-speed spinning of roller sleeves while containing the liquid flying off the roller - 20 L drums holding 3 to 5 L of liquid work well. For solvent, drums should be metal rather than plastic (unless the type of plastic is approved for that solvent).
2. A roller spinner (for roller sleeves only; brushes should be shaken out or spun by hand, as high-speed spinning can damage bristles by splaying them excessively).
3. A supply of clean water, or storage for new or recycled solvent.
4. A supply of material for enclosing brushes and rollers during short breaks. For example, plastic film or bags, and roller sleeve canisters. A number of proprietary products do this.
5. Equipment for processing washings. For example, a drum for settling of solids, paint filters, capillary absorption ropes for processing solvent-based paint washings, and a loose-lidded container to allow oxidation of binders in solvent-based washings.
6. A supply of gloves to limit skin contact with paint and solvents while washing.
7. A supply of materials for wiping up. For example, cloth, rags, paper.

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Clean-up procedures - Is cleaning necessary?

When painting of an area is completed, equipment needs to be washed up only if there is no other area that needs the same paint and equipment, or there is to be an extended break before the same paint and equipment are used again. Otherwise, the equipment may be wrapped to slow the hardening of the paint during the break. The equipment can be wrapped in an impervious material such as plastic film or a plastic bag or a purpose-made canister.

When equipment is not to be reused in the near future:

• Return as much paint as possible from rollers, brushes, trays and paint pots back into paint containers at the end of the section, day or job.
• Place each roller sleeve into a canister, if one is available, and add as much solvent or water as specified by the manufacturer and shake it before resealing. Put the canister back into the equipment storage area. If a canister is not available, stop the paint from drying by submerging the roller sleeve in the dirtiest solvent or water until it can be cleaned later.
• Wipe excess paint residue from trays, paint pots and other tools (other than brushes or rollers) with a cloth or paper. Dispose of the cloth or paper as clean-out waste in a nominated waste bin located close to the paint wash-out area.
• Wash each brush in successive drums of solvent or water, starting with the dirtiest  liquid and moving towards the cleanest. Twirl the brush between your hands before moving on to the next drum. Use a brush to rinse the residual paint from trays, paint pots and other equipment into the drum of wash liquid. Then wipe this equipment dry. Brushes can be stored upright (preferably hanging, to avoid distortion of the bristles) in the cleanest drum of liquid overnight, ready to be spun out between the hands before the next use. If a brush is not to be further used on the job, after cleaning it as far as possible in a sequence of drums wash it thoroughly in soap and warm water, rinse it clean in running water and lay it flat to dry.
• If a roller sleeve was stored in a canister, it can remain there overnight or a little longer until the next use, when it can be spun out with a roller spinner into the dirtiest drum and used for the same type of paint. If a roller sleeve needs to be washed out, wash it in successive drums of solvent or water, starting with the dirtiest liquid and moving towards the cleanest. Use a roller spinner to spin the liquid out of the roller sleeve into the drum before moving on to the next drum. If a roller sleeve is not to be further used on the job, after cleaning it in the drums, wash it thoroughly in soap and warm water, rinse it clean in running water, spin it out and stand it on end while it dries. Alternatively, after it has been allowed to dry, it may be economic to discard it as ordinary waste.
• Each day (or sooner if usage requires) take the drum with the dirtiest water out of the washing cycle and set it aside for settling and treatment. Replace it with a drum of clean water at the other end of the line. Move the other drums up one: that is, yesterday's second dirtiest drum becomes today's dirtiest, and so forth. This is essential to limit runaway bacterial and algal growth in the washings. If the break is longer than overnight, then replace all drums other than the cleanest in this way.
• Check the canisters holding wash water for possible algal growth, and empty them regularly into the dirtiest wash drum. Replace with clean water.
• Replace the dirtiest solvent drum with a drum of clean solvent (using the same cyclical pattern as above) only when its burden of paint limits its usefulness for further washing of equipment. (Solvents are not prone to runaway bacterial and algal growth.) Similarly, canisters holding wash solvent need to be washed out and refilled with clean solvent only when the paint loading is excessive.
• Dispose of brushes, roller sleeves and other equipment that are unfit for further use in the nominated waste bin located near the paint wash-out area.