Job Hazard Analysis · Painting

Job Hazard Analysis: Interior painting

Brush, roll, and spray primer and paint on interior walls, ceilings, and trim in occupied or unoccupied buildings. Includes moving furniture, masking, patching and sanding drywall, working from stepladders and rolling scaffolds, and cleanup. Uses water-based latex and some solvent-based primers or enamels. If the building was built before 1978, test the paint for lead before any scraping or sanding.

Published 2026-10-23

A general example for this task. Your JHA should reflect your crew, equipment and site — review it with a competent person before work starts.

Steps, hazards and controls

Step	Hazard	Risk	Controls
1. Set up the work area: move furniture, remove outlet and switch cover plates, lay drop cloths, mask, and set up fans for ventilation.	Back strain from lifting furniture, 5-gallon buckets, and ladders	Medium	Use a dolly or furniture sliders for heavy items. Lift with two people for anything over 50 lb or awkward to carry. Keep loads close to your body and lift with your legs, not your back.
	Electric shock when removing cover plates near damaged wiring	Medium	Use a plastic or insulated screwdriver and touch only the screws, never the wires. If you see bare, burned, or loose wires, stop and tell the foreman. Do not paint over or touch them. Cover open boxes with tape, not paint.
	Trips and slips on drop cloths, plastic sheeting, and extension cords	Medium	Use canvas drop cloths on floors; plastic sheeting is slippery underfoot. Tape down the edges of drop cloths and run cords along walls, not across walkways. Keep stairways and exits clear at all times.
2. Prepare surfaces: scrape loose paint, patch with joint compound or spackle, and sand drywall and trim.	Lead dust from scraping or sanding old paint in pre-1978 buildings	High	Test the paint for lead before any scraping or sanding. If positive, stop and follow the company lead plan. Never dry sand, power sand, or use a heat gun over 1100°F on lead paint. Use wet scraping and wet sanding. Seal the room with plastic and clean with a HEPA vacuum, never a broom or shop vac. Wash hands and face before eating, drinking, or smoking. Do not eat in the work area.
	Drywall and joint compound dust in eyes and lungs	Medium	Use a sanding sponge or a pole sander connected to a HEPA vacuum. Keep the room ventilated with a fan blowing out a window. Wear safety glasses and an N95 respirator while sanding.
	Cuts from utility knives, scrapers, and putty knives	Low	Use self-retracting utility knives and replace dull blades. Cut and scrape away from your body and your other hand. Wear cut-resistant gloves when scraping.
3. Set up ladders and rolling scaffolds for walls, ceilings, and high trim.	Falls from a 6-ft or 8-ft fiberglass stepladder	High	Use an extension pole on the roller so you can work from the floor whenever possible. Inspect the ladder before each use. Tag and remove any ladder with cracked rails, bent spreaders, or missing feet. Open the stepladder fully and lock the spreaders. Never stand on the top step or top cap, and never use a folded stepladder as a straight ladder. Keep your belt buckle between the rails and move the ladder instead of reaching.
	Rolling scaffold (baker scaffold) tipping or rolling while occupied	High	Assemble per the manufacturer's instructions with all braces, pins, and guardrails in place. Lock all casters before climbing. Never ride the scaffold while it is moved. Check the floor for holes, cords, and slopes before rolling. Install guardrails on any platform more than 10 ft above the floor.
4. Apply primer and paint by brush and roller.	Breathing solvent vapors from oil-based primers, enamels, and thinners	Medium	Use water-based latex paint and primer whenever the job allows. Open windows and use box fans to move fresh air through the room. Read the Safety Data Sheet before opening a new product and keep lids closed when not in use. If you get dizzy, a headache, or nausea, go outside to fresh air and tell the foreman.
	Paint splashing into eyes when rolling ceilings	Medium	Don't overload the roller; roll it out on the grid first. Wear safety glasses at all times, and goggles when rolling ceilings. Know where the eyewash or clean water is before you start.
	Neck and shoulder strain from overhead work	Low	Use an extension pole and position the scaffold so work is at chest height. Rotate between ceiling and wall work and take short stretch breaks.
5. Spray paint with an airless sprayer (when used).	Injection injury from high-pressure airless spray tip	High	Keep the tip guard on and engage the trigger lock whenever you stop spraying. Turn off the sprayer and relieve pressure before cleaning or changing the tip. Never point the gun at anyone or put your hand in front of the tip. Any injection injury is a medical emergency, even if it looks small. Go to the ER right away.
	Paint mist and vapors in the breathing zone	High	Mask off the room and run exhaust fans blowing out a window. Keep other trades and occupants out of the spray area with signs or tape. Wear a fitted half-face respirator with organic vapor cartridges and particulate pre-filters.
	Fire from solvent-based paint near pilot lights or sparks	Medium	Shut off pilot lights and do not smoke in the building. Keep the sprayer motor outside the spray room when spraying solvent-based products. Keep a charged fire extinguisher within reach.
6. Clean up: wash brushes, rollers, and sprayer; dispose of rags and waste; remove masking and drop cloths.	Spontaneous fire from oily rags soaked with oil-based stain or paint	High	Put oily rags in a closed metal can with water, or lay them flat outside to dry. Never leave rags in a pile, a trash bag, or a truck overnight. Store thinners and solvents in labeled, closed safety cans away from heat.
	Skin irritation from solvents and paint	Low	Clean latex tools with water instead of solvents. Wear nitrile gloves when cleaning and never wash your skin with thinner.
	Trips over debris, buckets, and loose drop cloths	Low	Pick up as you go and bag waste daily. Fold drop cloths toward the center to trap dust and paint chips.

Required PPE

Safety glasses — ANSI Z87.1 rated, at all times. Use splash goggles for ceiling rolling and spraying.
Nitrile gloves — When handling paint, primers, solvents, and during cleanup.
N95 filtering facepiece — For sanding drywall and joint compound (not for lead or solvent vapors).
Half-face respirator with organic vapor/P100 cartridges — For spraying, solvent-based products in poor ventilation, and lead work. Requires medical clearance and fit test.
Slip-resistant work shoes — At all times, especially on drop cloths and ladders.
Cut-resistant gloves — When scraping and using utility knives.
Disposable coveralls — For spraying and any lead-paint work.

Training

Ladder safety training by a competent person: inspection, setup, and safe use of stepladders.
Rolling scaffold training: assembly, caster locks, guardrails, and moving rules.
Hazard communication: reading labels and Safety Data Sheets for every paint and solvent on site.
Respirator medical evaluation, fit test, and training before wearing a half-face respirator.
Lead awareness training for any work on pre-1978 buildings; EPA RRP-certified renovator on residential and child-occupied jobs.
Airless sprayer operation training per the manufacturer, including pressure relief.

Emergency

If someone falls from a ladder or scaffold: stop work, do not move the injured worker unless there is a fire or other danger, and call 911. Give the full site address and the room or floor. Send someone to meet the ambulance at the entrance. Give first aid only if trained, and tell the foreman right away. For a spray injection injury, go to the ER immediately even if it looks small.

Official sources

29 CFR 1926.1053 — Ladders
29 CFR 1926.451 — Scaffolds — general requirements
29 CFR 1926.59 — Hazard communication
29 CFR 1926.55 — Gases, vapors, fumes, dusts, and mists
29 CFR 1926.62 — Lead
29 CFR 1926.103 — Respiratory protection
29 CFR 1926.152 — Flammable liquids
29 CFR 1926.25 — Housekeeping

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General information, not legal advice. Templates and examples should be reviewed by a competent person before use. HardHat Binder is not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA.