ENVIRONMENT

Our Commitment to the Environment

At White Oak’s Collision Centers, we’re dedicated to making sure our repair processes and equipment meet the highest standards for health safety and environmental protection. We’re constantly looking for new ways to change the industry as well as the way we interact with our environment. Here are just a few examples of many steps White Oak’s Collision takes to help ensure the protection of our environment as well as our employees.

 

Protecting our Employees

  • All spray applications (including primer, basecoat and, clearcoat applications) are performed in a spray booth or ventilated and enclosed prep station which minimizes painter and other worker exposures to solvents and other harmful components of paints and coatings during spray applications.
  • All of our painters wear hooded fresh-air paint masks that constantly supplies fresh outside air to the painter.
  • Painters also wear a full body paint suit to avoid skin absorption of toxins as well as impermeable gloves to prevent solvents and other skin irritants from coming in contact with the skin.
  • Painters & technicians consistently wear safety goggles or glasses at all times to prevent eye injury that can be caused from debris, equipment and other eye irritants. All White Oak’s Collision associates are trained to focus on health and safety procedures on a daily basis to ensure an accident-free work environment.
  • White Oak’s Collision uses automated gun cleaners to reduce painters and technicians exposure to harmful cleaning solvents by allowing them to perform part of the cleaning process remotely. Automatic cleaners also typically reuse solvents in the cleaning process which reduces solvent waste.

Protecting our Environment

  • Our spray booths have commercially insulated walls to keep heat in and use afterburners to quickly ramp up the heat. They also have programmed timers that shut off automatically, reducing the use of heat and electricity.
  • To reduce energy usage, we use fast-dry paint products and infra-red/UV-B lights to cure paint and shorten the duration of the spray booths bake cycles.
  • Our technicians are Certified to comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements for refrigerant recovery and recycling.
  • Excess paint and thinner is always recycled. Residue is washed off with a water-based gun cleaner to eliminate fumes and eliminate solvent-based thinner use.
  • We recycle all cardboard, sheet metal & plastic bumper body parts.
  • Spraying occurs in a downdraft spray booth with sophisticated HVLP (high volume, low pressure guns). Use of HVLP spray guns can significantly reduce overspray which will reduce harmful emissions and save paint.
  • We use water-borne paints which reduce solvent fumes meaning cleaner air and a healthier work environment. Water-borne paints are also nonflammable; therefore, they reduce the risk of fire.