BS EN 16985:2018

What is BS EN 16985 about?  

BS EN 16985 discusses spray booths for the organic coating material. BS EN 16985 deals with possible hazards relating to spray booths that are used for applying organic liquid and powder coating materials on substrates. 

Note 1: BS EN 16985 is not applicable to: 

• Spaces for application of organic coating material consisting only of an extraction wall 
• Platforms attached to spray booths (example for touch-up jobs) 
• Flock booths (see EN 50223:2015) 
• Spray booths with airflow from vertical inlet to horizontal extraction or from horizontal inlet to vertical extraction 

Note 2: The specific significant risks related to the use of this machinery with foodstuff and pharmaceutical products are not dealt with in BS EN 16985. 

Note 3: The specific significant risks related to drying operation of combined spraying and drying booths are not dealt with in BS EN 16985but in EN 1539:2015. 

Who is BS EN 16985  for? 

BS EN 16985 on spray booths for organic coating material is useful for: 

• Automotive manufacturers 
• Booth manufacturers and suppliers 
• Design engineers  
• Spray painters 
• Health and safety bodies 

Why should you use BS EN 16985?  

Spray booths are widely used by manufacturers to apply paint and other coatings to parts and products. Not only are they necessary for the safety of your employees, but it’s also against the law not to use one as part of your manufacturing or finishing process. 

BS EN 16985 points out the possible hazards in relation to spray painting substrates. BS EN 16985 then discusses detailed requirements and construction pointers for spray booths safety. BS EN 16985 also provides a process for the verification of the safety requirements. BS EN 16985 helps you with improving the safety of your spray booths. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN 16985:2018 supersedes BS EN 12215:2004+A1:2009, BS EN 12981:2005+A1:2009 

and BS EN 13355:2004+A1:2009, which are withdrawn. BS EN 16985:2018 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 12215:2004+A1:2009, BS EN 12981:2005+A1:2009 and BS EN 13355:2004+A1:2009. These include: 

• The 3 European Standards EN 12215:2004+A1:2009, EN 12981:2005+A1:2009 and EN 13355:2004+A1:2009 have been merged into this European standard 
• The scope has not been changed, but the limits of a spray booth have been defined by specifying the interfaces to ancillary machinery, to clarify the scope 
• Falling objects, has been introduced 
• Height from the ground, has been introduced 
• Contact with and inhalation of hazardous material, has been revised