The Danger of Paint Fumes

When you’re painting around the house or ever use paint in your day-to-day work role you may be asking yourself whether inhaling paint fumes is dangerous for your health. If you read further on, you’ll learn more about whether paint fumes are dangerous and if there are ways you can help to reduce the risk of harmful fumes coming from the paint.

Are paint fumes actually harmful?

The fumes that come from paint aren’t extremely harmful, but they can contribute to particular health issues which means it’s always worth being extra careful when inhaling paint fumes. Paint chemicals vary depending on the company, but it’s mainly after the painting has been completed where the harm lies. The fumes that paint gives off includes VOC’s which are volatile organic compounds that can cause immediate harm such as dizziness, headaches, respiratory problems and eye irritation. This is why it’s important to take the necessary precaution to prevent inhaling paint fumes.

How can the exposure be reduced?

There are steps that you can take to help reduce your exposure to fumes that are given off from paint. The first precaution that should be taken is to make sure that the area in which your painting in is well ventilated so that the fumes you’re inhaling aren’t just building up in the air around you. A paint mask can be used but you’ll still likely inhale some part of the fumes, so open windows or make sure the ventilation systems are working well to reduce the amount of VOC’s in the air.

Are there long terms effects of inhaling paint fumes?

Animal testing with paint fumes has proven that cancer can be caused by large exposure to paint. It can also contribute to developing asthma in people. If you’re carrying a child, inhaling paint fumes should be avoided at all costs as it can cause serious harm to the child and potentially cause birth defects when the child is born. Even small children should try to stay away from heavily fumed areas and rooms due to their bodies still developing, making them vulnerable to easily generating health issues.

If possible, try to avoid inhaling paint fumes

There are paints available in stores and warehouses that have little to no VOC content. Using this instead of a standard paint can greatly reduce the chances of developing health issues from fumes released from painting. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should avoid painting altogether, just be sure to take the right measures.

Inhaling paint fumes can be harmful to your body, in particular, with small children and those carrying a child. People with existing respiratory problems should also avoid paint fumes where possible, but paints are available that include low contents of VOC’s.

For more details on our fume extraction systems for your business, don’t hesitate to call us on 0161 764 4004 or contact us through our simple contact form.