Powder coating produces large volumes of fine particulate from overspray and handling. Left unchecked, this dust affects finish quality, creates slip and fire risks, and can expose staff to respirable particles. Effective control is a process issue, not a single machine purchase: plan the workflow, capture dust at source, stabilise room airflow, and maintain rigorous housekeeping.

Plan the process and segregate

Designate coating, curing and inspection areas with controlled airflow from clean to dirty. Keep doors closed and materials staged to minimise handling. Schedule filter checks around production peaks and train operators to spot early signs of loss in capture (visible haze, powder drift, settled dust on light fittings).

Capture at source

• Booth performance: Maintain the booth’s designed face velocity and even draw. Inspect seals, plenums and reclaim plenums for leaks. Record airflow under load, not free-air figures.
• Reclaim and filters: Keep prefilters and cartridges clean per the manufacturer’s schedule. Check for bypass paths and ensure gaskets seat correctly. Do not tap out filters; use an industrial vacuum.
• Work technique: Use steady spray passes, correct gun settings and target distances to reduce overspray. Keep powder feed lines short and enclosed where practicable.
• Small parts: For jigs, plugs and touch-up, use a downdraft table or mini-enclosure to stop localised emissions.

Control dust in the air

Keep the coating room slightly negative to adjacent spaces so dust cannot escape. Supplement booth capture during colour changes or maintenance with portable air scrubbers using high-efficiency filtration (H14 for fine particulate). A compact MAXVAC air scrubber can help maintain negative pressure and reduce airborne carry-over during short-term works.

• Verify airflow direction with simple smoke tests.
• Position scrubbers to create a pull from the work zone to filtration, avoiding recirculation.
• Monitor PM2.5/PM10 with a particulate meter to tune placement and duty cycles.

Housekeeping without re-agitation

• Avoid sweeping or compressed air. Use anti-static industrial vacuums with appropriate filtration (M-Class as a minimum; H-Class and H14 when fine respirable dust is present or required by risk assessment).
• Vacuum floors, booth ledges, light fittings and cable trays on a set schedule. Capture spills immediately to prevent tracking.
• Handle waste in sealed bags or drums. For metallic powders or where flammability is possible, review DSEAR requirements and use anti-static tools and earthing.

Checks, PPE and training

• Daily: booth manometer/pressure drop, visible dust checks, and door discipline.
• Weekly: capture smoke tests, filter integrity checks and recorded airflow under load.
• PPE: provide fit-tested RPE (P3) when controls are being set up or during maintenance. Use protective clothing that can be vacuumed before removal.

Practical takeaways

• Keep the coating room slightly negative and verify with smoke.
• Measure airflow under load and act on rising pressure drop.
• Capture overspray at source with well-maintained booths and downdraft tables.
• Use H-Class vacuums and never sweep or blow down.
• Monitor PM2.5/PM10 to validate placement of air scrubbers and cleaning frequency.

Powder coating stays clean and compliant when capture, airflow and housekeeping work together. Simple checks, measured airflow and disciplined cleaning are the fastest gains for finish quality and worker protection.