Commercial Fixed Wing
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Communication Breakdown; Physiological - Other
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Procedure
On [date] technicians painted Aircraft X right and left elevator top surface with a spray paint gun in an improperly ventilated area. The fumes were very strong and concentrated causing me to experience a headache and throat irritation.  Aircraft paints can be cancer causing when inhaled; according to OSHA and the company's respirator training exposure and inhaling some of these toxic fumes may compromise our health. I approached the techs and told them to stop spraying and to open the hangar doors; they informed me that they had been authorized by Management. They also said that they were told to paint it during lunch. Nonetheless; management authorization or painting during lunch; does not reduce exposure to cancer causing fumes; specially in a non ventilated area. I spoke to the supervisor of line 3; and he said they had been authorized to do so by our local 'safety manager'. I then went to the shift manager and he said he would 'look into it'; in the meantime the fumes continued to accumulate in the hangar so that there was a mist in the bay where they were painting and beyond. After about an hour; they stopped spraying and opened the hangar doors. Incidents like this are not isolated. I've brought up to Management the dangers of buffing on fiberglass panels; cutting honeycomb; grinding on aluminum on the open hangar floor. It seems to me that our local Safety Manager does not care to emphasize the importance of following proper safety and health procedures.
Air Carrier maintenance technician reported a fume event in an improperly ventilated maintenance hanger during aircraft spray painting. Hanger doors were opened and painting ceased after notifying supervisor.