General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Spray Finishing Using Flammable and Combustible Materials

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.107

29 CFR 1910.107 governs spray finishing using flammable and combustible materials: spraying must be done in approved, adequately ventilated spray booths, electrical equipment in the spray area must be explosion-proof, ignition sources are prohibited, and fire protection must be provided. It controls the explosive atmosphere that spray painting creates.

29 CFR 1910.107 at a glance

What it requires: Safe spray finishing with flammable/combustible paints and coatings
Spray booths: Substantially constructed of steel, concrete, or masonry and adequately ventilated
Ignition sources: No open flame or spark-producing equipment in a spraying area or within 20 feet (unless partitioned)
Residue: Spraying areas kept free of combustible residue; cleaned as needed (daily if necessary)
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: Spray finishing creates BOTH a flammable-vapor and a combustible-residue hazard

What 29 CFR 1910.107 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.107 governs spray finishing using flammable and combustible materials: spray painting and coating operations that atomize paints, lacquers, and solvents into a fine, ignitable mist. Spraying is doubly hazardous: it fills the air with flammable vapor and overspray that can flash, and it deposits combustible residue on surfaces that can later ignite and burn intensely. The standard controls both by requiring engineered spray booths, ventilation, ignition-source separation, and residue housekeeping.

Spray finishing must be done in a properly constructed spray booth or spray room. Spray booths must be substantially constructed of steel, or of concrete or masonry, securely and rigidly supported, and must be adequately ventilated so that flammable vapors and mists are carried away and kept below dangerous concentrations. The ventilation and the electrical equipment in and around the booth must be designed for the hazardous (classified) location, because the atmosphere inside an operating spray booth is flammable.

Ignition control and housekeeping complete the standard. There must be no open flame or spark-producing equipment in any spraying area, nor within 20 feet of it, unless separated by a partition: this keeps heaters, grinding, welding, and non-rated electrical equipment away from the flammable atmosphere. And all spraying areas must be kept as free as practical from the accumulation of combustible residue deposits, with cleaning conducted daily if necessary, because the dried overspray on booth walls, filters, and floors is highly combustible. Together these requirements prevent both the flash-fire and the residue-fire pathways.

The regulatory text

“There shall be no open flame or spark producing equipment in any spraying area nor within 20 feet thereof, unless separated by a partition.”

29 CFR 1910.107(c)(2)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.107

Spray finishing must be done in a spray booth/room substantially constructed of steel, concrete, or masonry (1910.107(b)(1)).
Spray booths must be adequately ventilated to keep flammable vapors and overspray below dangerous concentrations.
No open flame or spark-producing equipment in a spraying area or within 20 feet, unless separated by a partition (1910.107(c)(2)).
Electrical equipment in/around the booth must be suitable for the hazardous (classified) location.
Spraying areas must be kept free of combustible residue; cleaned daily if necessary (1910.107(g)(2)).
The hazard is twofold: flammable vapor/overspray in the air AND combustible dried-residue deposits.
It works with the flammable-liquids storage rules (1910.106) for the coatings themselves.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.107 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.107
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.107

#	Employer obligation
1	Use approved spray booths with proper ventilation
2	Keep the average air velocity over the open face of the booth at 100 linear feet per minute or more (60 fpm may suffice for electrostatic operations)
3	Use explosion-proof electrical equipment in spray areas
4	Provide fire extinguishers rated for the hazard
5	No open flames or smoking in spray areas

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.107. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Spray Finishing violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.107 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Spraying outside a properly constructed spray booth/room (1910.107(b)).
Inadequate booth ventilation for flammable vapors and overspray (1910.107(b)(5)).
Open flame or spark-producing equipment in a spraying area or within 20 feet (1910.107(c)(2)).
Non-classified electrical equipment in/around the spray area (1910.107(c)).
Combustible residue accumulation not cleaned from booth, filters, and floors (1910.107(g)(2)).

Two hazards: the vapor now, and the residue later

Spray finishing is often thought of as just a flammable-vapor problem, but it creates TWO distinct fire hazards. The first is immediate: the atomized paint and solvent fill the booth with a flammable mist and vapor that can flash if it meets an ignition source, which is why booths must be ventilated, electrical equipment must be rated for the classified location, and no flames or sparks are allowed within 20 feet. The second is delayed: the overspray dries into a combustible residue that builds up on booth walls, floors, filters, and ductwork, and this dried residue is highly flammable and a leading cause of spray-booth fires. That is why the standard requires spraying areas to be kept free of residue accumulation, cleaned daily if necessary. Controlling only the live spraying atmosphere while ignoring the residue buildup leaves half the hazard uncontrolled.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks that spraying happens in an approved booth with working ventilation, that electrical fixtures in and near the booth are explosion-proof, that there is no smoking or open flame, and that overspray residue is cleaned to prevent fuel buildup. Spraying outside a booth and non-rated electrical equipment are common findings.

Example: how a violation is cited

A shop sprays solvent-based paint in an open area with ordinary lighting and no booth ventilation. Accumulated vapor reaches an ignition source and flashes. OSHA cites 1910.107 for spraying outside an approved booth and using non-explosion-proof equipment, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Spray Finishing compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.107. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Spray only in a spray booth/room of steel, concrete, or masonry, adequately ventilated.
Ensure ventilation keeps flammable vapors and overspray below dangerous concentrations.
Use only electrical equipment rated for the hazardous (classified) location in and around the booth.
Keep open flames and spark-producing equipment out of the spraying area and 20 feet around it.
Clean combustible residue from the booth, filters, floors, and ductwork regularly: daily if needed.
Store the coatings and solvents per the flammable-liquids rules (1910.106).

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.107

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Spray-finishing citations appear in auto-body, furniture, and coating operations. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; booth, ventilation, and electrical failures are frequently cited together.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Spray Finishing compliance

Atomized paint and solvent create a cloud of flammable vapor and combustible residue that a single spark can ignite into a flash fire or explosion. Booths, ventilation, and explosion-proof equipment keep the fuel and the ignition sources apart: the whole point of the standard.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.107

PPE Selector

Spray Finishing penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.107.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.107

Does spray painting have to be done in a spray booth?

Yes, for spray finishing with flammable or combustible materials. Under 1910.107(b), spray finishing must be conducted in a properly constructed spray booth or spray room, substantially built of steel, concrete, or masonry, securely supported, and adequately ventilated. The booth confines and exhausts the flammable vapors and overspray, and its electrical equipment must be suitable for the hazardous (classified) location.

How far must ignition sources be from a spraying area?

Under 1910.107(c)(2), there must be no open flame or spark-producing equipment in any spraying area, nor within 20 feet of it, unless separated by a partition. This keeps flames, heaters, grinding, welding, and non-rated electrical equipment away from the flammable atmosphere created by spraying, preventing a flash fire or explosion.

Why is spray-booth residue dangerous?

Because dried overspray is highly combustible. As paint and coating overspray settles, it dries into a combustible residue that accumulates on booth walls, floors, filters, and ductwork. This buildup is a leading cause of spray-booth fires: it ignites easily and burns fast. That is why 1910.107(g)(2) requires spraying areas to be kept as free as practical from combustible residue, with cleaning conducted daily if necessary.

What are the two main fire hazards of spray finishing?

First, the flammable atmosphere: spraying atomizes paint and solvent into a mist and vapor that can flash if it contacts an ignition source, so booths must be ventilated and ignition sources kept 20 feet away. Second, the combustible residue: the dried overspray that accumulates on surfaces is highly flammable and must be regularly cleaned. Effective compliance controls both the live spraying atmosphere and the residue buildup.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.107

1910.107 is part of Subpart H (Hazardous Materials) of OSHA's general-industry standards, drawn from NFPA 33 (Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable or Combustible Materials). It addresses the specific combination of flammable atmosphere and combustible residue that makes spray finishing a distinctive fire hazard.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.107, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Flammable Liquid Flash Point PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)Hierarchy of Controls

Related guides & articles

OSHA Top 10 Most-Cited Violations 2026

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.101

Compressed Gases

29 CFR 1910.106

Flammable Liquids

29 CFR 1910.109

Explosives & Blasting

29 CFR 1910.110

LP-Gas Storage

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.

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