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I have been in the insurance industry for close to 30 years. I was with ISO as well for a short time. In that time period I have found that things change in this industry as quickly as the seasons change. My question is this. NFPA 33 deals with Combustible and Flammable liquids only. It does not address, from what I can find that is, anything about spray painting with Water Based Paints. I have an underwriter that is insisting on our commercial client putting in an approved NFPA spray paint booth. Can anyone tell me if there is anything with NFPA that addresses the spray painting of water based paints. I know that OSHA addresses it. However, I have not been able to find anything that addresses it. Thoughts would be appreciated and if there is somewhere I can find information in black and white would even be better. Thanks in advance for all your help.

NFPA 33 also includes the following regarding the application of the standard:
“1.1.3 This standard shall also apply to spray application of water-borne, water-based, and water-reducible materials that contain flammable or combustible liquids or that produce combustible deposits or residues.”

If you are spraying waterborne coating material that has no fire point, you might have be able to convince the underwriter that there is no fire hazard associated with the spray finishing of the product.

Having said that, if the customer will be using solvents in the booth to clean either the spray guns or the booth itself, they should follow NFPA 33. It is during these operations that most fires occur.

I really appreciate the feedback. Like you I too saw where there could have been an exposure in the same NFPA section. But, in this case the insured is only using water and soap to clean up and the products he is spraying are non-flamable.

Thank you for the re-inforcement.

Aside from the clean up, remember that spray painting produces static electricity, fumes, vapors and other airborne residues that may escape past the filtration system(if there is one). I know of a large all consuming fire where residues built up on the roof near the vent which caught fire and burned the entire building to the ground. Ooops!