There are certain steps that commercial painters should take when painting the exterior of a business premises if they want to ensure that the process goes smoothly. Here are two such steps.
Use a boom lift instead of a ladder for lengthy painting jobs
Most commercial buildings are at least two storeys high. Because of this, painters usually need to use access equipment in order to enable them to paint the taller sections of these types of buildings.
Many painters choose to use ladders. However, whilst a ladder is relatively lightweight, inexpensive and easy to adjust, it is not the most stable form of access equipment; it can shift or even topple backwards if it is struck by someone.
Because of this, if it is used for lengthy painting jobs, there is a risk that both the painter standing on its rungs and the customers who are entering and exiting the commercial building could end up sustaining injuries.
For example, if the painter loses their footing and falls off the ladder, they could land on someone who is walking in or out of the building's entrance. This could leave both of these individuals with serious injuries.
As such, it is generally best for commercial painters to rent or purchase a boom lift for this type of work. This will provide them with a stable, fenced-in platform that will not move unexpectedly if, for example, a passer-by accidentally bumps into the base of the equipment.
Be careful about where you leave open tins of paint
If the commercial building will remain open for business throughout the painting process, it's important for those painting its exterior to be mindful about where they leave open tins of paint.
The reason for this is as follows; if an open tin of paint is left, for example, on the floor of the elevated boom lift's platform and the painter unintentionally knocks the tin off the platform with their foot, it could land on an employee or customer who is walking by the equipment.
If the tin strikes their head, it could leave them with a concussion or a head wound. Even if it doesn't, the paint could still splatter all over their hair, face and clothing, and leave them feeling distressed and embarrassed.
This type of incident could have a serious impact on the business owner's professional reputation, particularly if the affected employee or customer decides to sue them for compensation.
As such, it is vital for those carrying out painting work on a commercial building to be careful about where they place open tins of pain, especially when working on a ladder or boom lift. Ideally, these tins should be kept slightly out of arm's reach, so that there is little to no risk of the painter accidentally knocking them over with their hands or feet.
