HSE Launches Isocyanates Awareness Campaign: Targeted Inspections Begin

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a nationwide inspection campaign focusing on isocyanate exposure in motor vehicle repair (MVR) businesses. From October, inspectors will visit garages and bodyshops across the UK to check whether employers are doing enough to protect workers from this serious health risk.

Isocyanates – widely used in vehicle paints and clear coatings – are the leading cause of occupational asthma in the UK. Every year, skilled vehicle paint sprayers are diagnosed with this life-changing condition, often forcing them to leave their profession permanently.

What Inspectors Will Be Looking For

HSE inspectors will be checking compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, with a focus on three key areas:

1. Spray booth ventilation – Systems must have effective extraction to remove harmful isocyanates from the air.

2. Respiratory protection – Workers must be supplied with and trained to use an air-fed breathing apparatus. Disposable masks are not adequate.

3. Clearance procedures – Clear, measurable clearance times must be displayed before re-entry into spray booths.

   
   

These are the areas where MVR businesses most often fall short – but they are also the easiest to address with the proper support.

Health Surveillance and Biological Monitoring

Under COSHH, employers must also arrange regular health surveillance and biological monitoring for workers exposed to isocyanates:

• Health surveillance includes routine medical checks to detect early signs of occupational asthma.

• Biological monitoring is a simple urine test that confirms whether controls and protective equipment are working effectively.

  
  

Biological monitoring is a quick, cost-effective method that provides reassurance for employers, workers, and HSE personnel that spraying is being carried out safely.

How A-Mac Environmental Can Help

At A-Mac Environmental, we specialise in helping businesses across Scotland and the UK remain fully compliant with COSHH and HSE regulations. Our team of P601 and P602 qualified engineers provide:

✅ LEV system design, installation, and maintenance – ensuring spray booth ventilation and extraction systems meet HSE requirements.

✅ LEV testing & certification – carried out in line with HSG258, giving you documented proof of compliance.

✅ COSHH compliance packages – tailored to your workplace, including risk assessments, biological monitoring guidance, and health surveillance support.

✅ Training & aftercare – making sure your team understand safe procedures, clearance times, and correct use of air-fed respiratory protection.

By working with us, you not only protect your workforce but also safeguard your business from the disruption, costs, and risks of enforcement action.

The Consequences of Non-Compliance

Businesses found failing to meet COSHH standards may face:

• Improvement Notices requiring urgent corrective action

• Prohibition Notices stopping unsafe work immediately

• Prosecution for serious breaches

  
  

HSE’s primary goal is to help businesses understand their responsibilities and put adequate protections in place – but enforcement remains a real possibility.

Protecting Workers, Protecting Businesses

Isocyanate exposure is entirely preventable when the proper controls are in place. Now is the time for motor vehicle repair businesses to review their spray booth LEV systems, respiratory protection, clearance procedures, and health monitoring programmes.

At A-Mac Environmental, we’re here to help you achieve compliance with confidence.

📞 Contact our team today to arrange an LEV assessment, spray booth testing, or a complete COSHH compliance package tailored to your workshop.