How to Vet and Qualify Paint Technicians for Industrial Coating Projects
A guide for main contractors and project managers on vetting paint technicians for industrial coating work, covering ICATS certification, CSCS requirements, product training, and what to check before operatives start on site.
Why Vetting Matters
The quality of an industrial coating application is only as good as the operative applying it. A poorly trained or unqualified paint technician can apply the right product incorrectly, leading to premature coating failure, expensive rework, and potential non-compliance with the specification. On safety-critical systems such as intumescent fire protection or corrosion protection on structural steelwork, the consequences of poor application can be severe.
Whether you are hiring operatives directly or engaging a labour-only subcontractor, you need a clear vetting process to ensure every person on site is competent, qualified, and insured.
ICATS: The Industry Standard
The Industrial Coatings Applicator Training Scheme (ICATS) is the recognised training and certification standard for industrial coating operatives in the UK. Developed by the Institute of Corrosion (ICorr) and administered through approved training centres, ICATS is mandated by Network Rail, Highways England, the Ministry of Defence, and many other major clients.
ICATS certification covers surface preparation methods, coating application techniques, health and safety, and environmental controls. Training takes approximately 40 hours and can be completed in modules. Certification is valid for three years, after which operatives must complete a refresher course and reassessment.
- ICATS Basic Module — covers fundamental surface preparation and coating application. Required as a minimum for most industrial coating work.
- ICATS Supplementary Modules — additional modules cover specialist areas such as thermal metal spraying, high-voltage holiday testing, and confined space coating work.
CSCS Recognition
ICATS is a CSCS Partner Scheme, meaning that operatives who pass the ICATS Basic Module receive a card bearing the CSCS logo. This is important because most construction sites in the UK require operatives to hold a CSCS card (or recognised equivalent) for site access. An ICATS card with the CSCS logo satisfies this requirement for coating operatives without them needing a separate CSCS qualification.
Product-Specific Training
Beyond ICATS, many coating manufacturers offer product-specific training for their systems. This is particularly important for:
- Intumescent fire protection coatings — each manufacturer’s product has specific mixing, application, and DFT requirements. An operative trained on one product cannot assume the same techniques apply to another.
- High-performance epoxy and polyurethane systems — pot life, induction time, and application conditions vary between products and manufacturers.
- Thermal metal spraying (metallising) — specialist equipment and technique training is essential for zinc or aluminium arc spraying.
What to Check Before Operatives Start
Use this checklist when vetting paint technicians for your project:
- ICATS card — check the card is in date and that the operative holds the correct module for the work scope.
- CSCS or equivalent — confirm the card is valid and matches the operative’s identity.
- Product training certificates — if the specification names a specific product, ask for evidence that the operative has been trained on it.
- Right to work — standard employment checks apply.
- Insurance — if engaging a labour-only subcontractor, confirm they hold employers’ liability and public liability insurance at appropriate levels.
- References — ask for recent project references, particularly for work of a similar nature and scale.
- Health surveillance — coating operatives working with isocyanate-containing products (most two-pack polyurethanes) must be under a health surveillance programme including regular lung function testing.
Our Operatives
Every paint technician supplied by Newlook Protective Coatings holds current ICATS certification, a CSCS-recognised card, and product-specific training for the systems we apply. We maintain a full training and health surveillance register for every operative and can provide documentation to your site management team before work commences. Contact us to discuss your labour requirements.