Paint Manufacturers and the Painting Industry
Paints and such related products as architectural and product coatings usually have three major components: a color pigment, a binder, and a solvent that maintains the other components in liquid form. Benzene and related chemicals are typically added to these materials to help the paint dry and cure faster. These chemicals are stored, mixed and transported in drums and tanks.
Workers who work in or around the manufacture of paint products risk exposure to benzene. Other trades that work with or around paint products, such as painters and auto body workers, also risk exposure – not only through the paint products themselves, but also through the solvents and mineral spirits used to clean their tools.
