05/05/2026
A sprayer starts a new job at a bodyshop. They've been using two-pack paints for years. They know what they're doing.
But no one has ever explained what isocyanates actually do to the body. The training they received mentioned hazards briefly. There's RPE available, but they don't always use it – especially on shorter jobs. The extraction in the booth hasn't been tested since it was installed.
A couple of years later, they develop occupational asthma. They have to leave the industry because even the smallest amount of isocyanate exposure triggers an attack.
This scenario plays out in bodyshops across the country every year. And our inspectors are seeing that in many cases, the underlying failures were present, identifiable, and avoidable long before harm occurred: inadequate training, gaps in COSHH awareness, and inconsistent RPE use.
Training is mandatory. It must cover hazards, RPE, safe procedures, and emergency actions – and be refreshed at least every five years. Records must be kept.
Don't let this be someone's story of working for you.
https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/isocyanates/legal-requirements/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=iso-inspections&utm_content=training-and-legal
BOHS
