Access, safety and compliance

Controlling hot works and abrasive preparation on site

A decorator using a heat gun on a windowsill with a fire extinguisher positioned nearby.

Heat guns for stripping old paint and grinding or flap-wheel work for rusted metal both introduce fire and spark risk that a normal brush-and-roller job does not carry. Where either method is proposed we treat it as its own controlled activity, separate from the general decorating scope.

Questions we are asked about this

Do you need special permission to use a heat gun on our site?

Where a site operates a permit-to-work or hot works permit system, yes, and we complete that before starting. On other sites we still apply the same fire precautions as standard practice.

What do you do with the paint scrapings from heat stripping?

They are contained and bagged for appropriate disposal, and if there is any suspicion of lead content we stop and test before continuing.

Can grinding be done near parked vehicles or other trades?

We shield the work and agree a clear zone first — grinding sparks travel further than most people expect, so nearby vehicles or work areas are protected or moved.

Fire watch and clearance around heat tools

Combustible material is cleared from the immediate work area, a fire extinguisher is kept within reach, and where the location or building type warrants it we maintain a watch for a period after heat work has stopped, since smouldering material inside old timber can take time to show.

Combustibles cleared or shielded before any heat gun is used
Suitable extinguisher kept at the immediate work point
Post-work check carried out before leaving the area unattended

Sparks and dust from grinding or flap-wheel work

Preparing rusted railings, gates or steelwork with a grinder or flap wheel throws sparks and metal dust further than most people expect. We shield the work with screens where there is anything flammable nearby, and vacuum or sheet the area to stop dust settling on adjacent surfaces before painting.

Where a heat or abrasive method is avoided altogether

On some substrates — old lead paint, close to sensitive plant, or within a permit-controlled zone — we choose a chemical or hand-scraping method instead, even though it is slower, because the fire or contamination risk from heat or grinding outweighs the time saved.

How we work on this

We treat heat and abrasive work as controlled activities separate from general decorating
We clear combustibles and keep extinguishers at hand for heat work
We choose slower, non-heat methods where the fire or contamination risk is too high