Painters and Decorators remove or apply paint, wallpaper and other finishes to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings and other structures. They may work for construction companies, painting contractors, building maintenance contractors or may be self-employed.
Description of Job
Main Duties:
- determine quantities of materials needed;
- advise in selection of paint colour or wallcoverings;
- remove old wallpaper if necessary, and repair cracks and holes;
- prepare and clean surfaces by scraping, sanding, sand-blasting, hydro-blasting and steam cleaning;
- mix paint to desired colour and texture;
- apply paint or other materials, such as fibreglass, metal coating or fire retardant using brushes, rollers or spray equipment;
- measure, cut and apply wallpaper or fabric;
- assemble scaffolding and swing gates;
- clean equipment such as brushes and rollers;
- provide cost estimates to clients.
Health and Safety Hazards
Chemical:
- skin effects such as dermatitis from contact with paints or solvents;
- irritation or more severe damage to the eyes and respiratory system from exposure to paint, solvent and glue vapours;
- headache, dizziness, light-headedness, nausea and other effects on the central nervous system from breathing paint vapours (especially those containing n-hexane solvents or lead pigments), paint strippers or other solvent vapours in poorly ventilated areas;
- mechanical stripping, chemical stripping or burning of old paints may increase the risk of lead, mercury or arsenic poisoning;
- working with some paint and decorating substances may increase the risk of developing cancer of the lungs, bladder, stomach, kidneys, esophagus and the large intestines, and leukemia.
Ergonomic:
- neck or shoulder pains, sprain and strain of upper limbs, and musculoskeletal disorders from awkward postures, particularly during the painting of ceilings;
- eye strain when painting small objects;
- knee pain and injury to joints.
Physical:
- high noise levels from spray guns or shot-blasting equipment;
- ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) radiation from paint-drying equipment;
- cold stress from prolonged exposure to cold or wet weather in winter; heat stress from prolonged exposure to heat and sun in summer;
- draughts in unfinished buildings.
Safety:
- falls from ladders, platforms, scaffolds, roofs, and other structures;
- slips and falls on wet floors;
- shock or electrocution from faulty electrical equipment, or from contact of metallic ladders with electrical lines;
- eye injury while shot-blasting, sanding or from high-pressure paint jets;
- fire and explosion of flammable paints and solvents;
- paint splashing accidents while clearing clogged spray nozzles.
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