Paint Tank Level Indicator Tool Reduces Health Risk for Crew

Item #: 20240042

CONTACTS

Implementing Organization: Region One
Champion: Jason Stimpson
Implementation Lead: Aaron Carver and Stuart Carver
Development Team:
- Aaron Carver
- Stuart Carver
- Jason Stimpson
- Audrey Drawn
- Shay Cheyney
- Austin Long

Article Written By: Winston Inoway
Innovation Team Coordinator: Winston Inoway

STATUS

Implementation Date: June 1, 2023
Adoption Status: Fully Implemented
Adoptability Note: If other paint crews use a similar paint transfer approach, this would be a helpful innovation to reduce exposure to paint fumes.

APPLIES TO

Topic: Maintenance Practices
Organization(s): Central Maintenance / Facilities Management, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4
Job Role(s): Transportation Technician
Tags: highway transportation, occupational safety, products, maintenance

PROBLEM

Paint striping crews use a specialized fast drying paint that unfortunately has noxious chemical fumes that are harmful to breath and can burn eyes. When the paint tank needed to be refilled, a crew member had to remove a cover and look down into the tank. In the process, the worker is exposed to the harmful paint fumes.

CHANGE

The Region One Paint Crew in Ogden created a simple tool that allows them to gauge the tank fill level without requiring the crew to be exposed to paint fumes. A floating bottle attached at one end of a fiberglass stick is inserted inside the tank. A cover around the stick prevents fumes from escaping from the tank. As the tank is filled with paint, the stick rises higher until a marker indicates the tank is full. Once the pump has been turned off, the level indicator tool is removed from the tank, and paint is washed off the float. The tool is stored beside the tank until the next refill is needed.

RESULT

The level indicator eliminates the need for a worker to be exposed to the paint fumes when filling the tank. This tool reduces the health risk to workers, and helps make this job easier to conduct safely.