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Spray Polyurethane Foam insulation offers a wide range of benefits whether used as a retrofit application in existing buildings or in new build applications and when installed correctly will last the lifetime of the building. It offers excellent thermal insulation properties and plays a vital role in improving the thermal performance of buildings.
The below information is aimed at complementing suppliers’ instructions and national/local building and Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) codes.
Guidance for a high quality & safe application of SPF
- Before using any SPF product, it is key to read and understand the suppliers’ instructions: Product Data Sheet, Product Application Guide and the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The SDS contains important information on the potential health effects, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), first aid measures, on how to handle accidental releases, and on storage, transportation, and disposal.
The SPF formulation contains various substances, some of which may require special precautions, such as diisocyanates and blowing agents. It is your responsibility to adhere to European and local HSE rules. - As for any professional activity, to ensure safe operations, applicators and helpers must be fully and regularly trained and the proper Risk Management Measures – i.e. ventilation and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – must be provided and used in the correct way. Additionally, emergency equipment should be readily available.
- How to minimise the risk?
For applicators, helpers, adjacent workers and occupants, it is critical to abstain from inhalation of SFF (Spray Foam Formulation) chemicals and to avoid skin and eye exposure to these chemicals.
When spray applicators follow proper safety precautions, potential hazards associated with sprayed chemicals in the work area can be effectively managed through the use of:- Engineering controls, Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)
- Work instructions/practices, training
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- And restricting unauthorised access to the work zone
- For guidance on re-entry and re-occupancy, please consult the Matrices on SPF safe handling :
- Compliance with re-entry times limits the exposure of (other) workers to sprayed chemicals after application
- Compliance with re-occupancy times limits the exposure of inhabitants to sprayed chemicals after the curing process
Once the product is fully cured, the final compounds are completely free of reactive chemicals (diisocyanate for instance reacts relatively quickly with water/moisture).
- Why is ventilation important?
Properly designed ventilation reduces exposure to aerosols, mists and vapours generated during spray application and can help protect SPF applicators, helpers, and others who may be working in adjacent areas.
During and after spray application, vapours and mists, as well as particles and dust from trimming and sanding the foam, may linger until the area is ventilated and thoroughly cleaned. - It is critical to remind that proper and well maintained Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the handling, spraying and cleaning up phases are essential for protecting your health. Additionally, the correct use of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) must be trained. Consult the SDS in section 8 for the correct type of PPE.
- Specific case of diisocyanates:
Diisocyanates have a harmonised classification as a respiratory sensitiser category 1 and as a skin sensitiser category 1 according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
Before becoming a sprayer, a training must be followed, with a refresher required every five years.
More information on the online training can be accessed via https://safeusediisocyanates.eu.
- For formulations relying on F Gases as blowing agents the F Gas Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/573) applies, in particular the provision of information on their presence.
The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the F Gases used in SPF is usually below 10 – well below the maximum of 150 as mandated by the Regulation.
Sustainability in the SPF industry
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
SPF is a versatile insulation material that contributes to improving energy efficiency in buildings. By helping to reduce heating and cooling needs, SPF can play a role in lowering associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the lifetime of a building. Like other polyurethane insulation products, SPF offers a strong performance-to-weight and performance-to-volume ratio, which supports resource efficiency. Several other characteristics also enhance its environmental profile:
- Efficient transport and application: SPF is transported in liquid form and expanded on-site, which can significantly reduce the number of deliveries and packaging waste compared to pre-formed materials.
- Low application waste: because SPF is applied directly where needed, material waste during installation tends to be minimal.
- Long service life: once applied, SPF is durable and typically requires little to no maintenance. It can also be recovered at the end of its life, with various treatment and re-use options increasingly available.
Like all manufactured products, SPF has an environmental footprint associated with its production. However, studies indicate that the energy savings achieved through its use can help offset this impact over time, often within the first few years of service.*
This aligns well with broader sustainability efforts. The European Union and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set out a shared vision for a sustainable future, centred around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals aim to promote environmental protection, social well-being, and economic growth in an integrated manner. Many companies involved in the SPF value chain — particularly those operating in Europe — actively support several of these SDGs. With a shared commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, the SPF industry is working to develop more efficient processes, lower emissions, and help build a sustainable built environment.
For more information on SPF and sustainability, please refer to the Benefits of Spray Polyurethane Foam section → Sustainability credentials.
* Data from PlasticsEurope indicates that the energy used to produce SPF insulation in a typical home may be recovered through energy savings within approximately one year, depending on building conditions and climate.
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) reports transparently, with objective, comparable and third-party verified data, on the environmental performance of products and services from a life cycle perspective. While the EPD is the final report, the basis of any EPD is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This LCA allows you to assess the environmental performance of your product throughout its entire life cycle. It typically takes into consideration its entire value chain, from material extraction to manufactured product, its stage of use and end-of-life. If an EPD for a certain foam formulation has been issued, it must comply with EN15804 and must be made publicly available and freely downloadable via an EPD library or programme operator. But great care should be taken not to compare the EPDs of different insulation materials as this is technically wrong (thickness and structural elements vary – the impact of ancillaries in the construction system can be significant). The ultimate interest of property owners and society is to reduce the environmental performance of buildings, so the assessment should be carried out at building level based on EPDs and technical choices.
In physical terms, an EPD consists of two key documents:
1) The underlying LCA report, a systematic and comprehensive summary of the LCA project to support the third-party verifier when verifying the EPD. This report is not part of the public communication.
2) The public EPD document that provides the LCA results and other EPD content.
SPF products are generally exhibiting very good EPDs. Get in touch with your supplier to enquire if EPDs exist for its products. An example of a generic on H(C)FO-blown product can be found here.
References for Professionals
- European guidance for spray foamers (do check whether specific guidance/legislation exists at national level)
- Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) matrix for comprehensive safety protocols
- hEN standards 14315 & 14318 (part 1 for the declared product performance and part 2 for spray foamers requirements for applying the SPF)
- Ventilation Considerations for Spray Polyurethane Foam (American Chemistry Council, Spray Foam Coalition, March 2016)
- European national certifications that must be followed even if voluntary (Avis Technique in France, ATG in Belgium, BRL in the Netherlands, RAL in Germany, with the list growing)
