Painter and decorator

Key information

Reference: ST0295
Date updated: 16/10/2024
Level: 2
Route: Construction and the built environment
Regulated occupation: No

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Details of the occupational standard

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Occupation summary

This occupation is found in both the new build and refurbishment sectors of the construction industry. Projects vary in size, scale, and duration, ranging from the painting of a wall, refurbishment of a room to new build housing and large-scale commercial projects such as office blocks, hospitals and retail developments. Employers and contractors of painters and decorators vary in size from small, local family painting and decorating companies to major home builders and commercial contractors. Painters and decorators sometimes choose to specialise in certain types of projects and go on to become masters in their field. Examples include work on heritage and listed buildings, new build homes or commercial works. There is growing demand for painters and decorators to help meet the need for new homes and preserve the condition of existing housing and structures

The broad purpose of the occupation is to operate in domestic and commercial properties and undertake the decoration and protection of buildings. Properties include houses, schools, offices, hospitals, factories and construction sites. Working internally or externally they work individually and/or as part of a team applying water-borne and/or solvent borne coatings and wallcoverings. They have good knowledge of paint coatings and wallcoverings and understand and comply with statutory, safety and environmental requirements. They are responsible for their own work achieving a high quality finish at the appropriate pace. They are good problem solvers and communicators and are able to interact effectively with colleagues, clients and associated trades

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with their immediate team and the site management team, which could include a senior or craft painter and decorator providing advice and guidance. They would also often liaise with other construction trades such as site carpenters and plasterers who could work for their own organisation or another contractor. Site managers again could work for their own company or the main contractor. In the case of smaller projects such as house extensions, liaison with the client and neighbours would be expected.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for creating a high-quality finish which meets standards, specifications and design plans. They are expected to do this with due regard to all safety aspects involved with working on a construction site or domestic property, ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others at all times. With sustainable construction at the forefront of all projects, it is expected they would give consideration to the environment and sustainability of materials, waste awareness and recycling.

Typical job titles include:

Painter Painter and Decorator

Occupation duties

Duty	KSBs
Duty 1 work in compliance with occupational health, safety and environmental requirements to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of self and others at all times. Report in a timely manner any non-compliances.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K9 K10 K14 K18 K21 K22 K29 K30 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S7 S8 S11 S12 S13 S14 S16 S21 S22 B1 B2 B3 B4
Duty 2 carry out their work conforming to all current and relevant building regulations, quality standards and work instructions.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K21 K22 K23 K26 K27 K28 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S17 S18 S22 B1 B2 B3 B4 B6
Duty 3 work to the construction programme, adapting to changes in schedule and requirements where necessary.	K1 K6 K9 K19 K20 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S11 S20 S21 S22 B1 B3 B6
Duty 4 prepare the work site including setting out the work and selecting materials, tools and equipment appropriate to the project.	K1 K3 K4 K6 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K26 S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 B1 B2 B3
Duty 5 use the appropriate tools and equipment to prepare substrates and apply decorative materials to industry standards	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K9 K10 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K21 K22 K23 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 B1 B3
Duty 6 carry out minor repairs or modifications to completed substrates/surfaces	K1 K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 K9 K15 K16 K17 K18 K21 K22 K23 K24 K25 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S9 S10 S12 S13 S14 S15 S19 S20 B1 B3 B6
Duty 7 collaborate with stakeholders including clients, customers and other construction trades	K1 K6 K9 K10 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 S1 S2 S4 S5 S7 S8 S20 S21 S22 B1 B3 B4 B6
Duty 8 maintain a clear and safe worksite at all times, disposing of waste appropriately and sustainably	K1 K6 K9 K10 K11 K12 S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 B1 B2 B3
Duty 9 carry out continuous professional development to maintain knowledge of current and future developments affecting the role	K1 K27 K31 S1 S2 S3 S8 S23 B2 B5
Duty 10 receive, unload, move, lift and store materials to site for application following good handling practices to prevent injury or damage.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K6 K11 K12 K16 K17 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S20 B1 B3 B6

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Awareness of health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance and impact on role. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH). Fire safety. Health and Safety at Work Act. Asbestos awareness. Manual handling. Signage, Situational awareness. Slips, trips, and falls. Working at height, Working in confined spaces. Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR), Provision and use of work equipment regulations (PUWER). Lone working. Electrical safety (electrical equipment and hand soaking) Hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and Lead at work. Back to Duty

K2: Personal protective equipment (PPE), Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression. Back to Duty

K3: Working at height equipment and safe use: Ladders, mobile towers, Mobile Elevated Working Platforms (MEWPs) and fixed scaffold. Back to Duty

K4: Working at height equipment and safe use: Steps, hop- ups and podiums. Back to Duty

K5: Safety Control equipment: High volume low pressure spraying equipment (HVLP), pressure washing. Back to Duty

K6: Safe systems of work: Site specific inductions, risk assessments, method statements and hazard identification in the work area. Back to Duty

K7: Standards and regulations: British Standards, building regulations, quality standards. Back to Duty

K8: Basic principles of digital design and modelling systems. Back to Duty

K9: Interpreting relevant information from drawings, specifications, work instructions, manufacturer’s safety data sheets and manufacturer’s information including colour charts and notations and colour terms. Back to Duty

K10: Impact of the sector on the environment and sustainability: Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse and safe disposal of waste. Back to Duty

K11: Preparation of work area: removal and storage of furnishings, fixtures and equipment and reinstatement. Back to Duty

K12: Characteristics and use of materials to protect work area: Cover materials and tapes. Back to Duty

K13: Hand tool use: preparation tools, application tools. Back to Duty

K14: Power tool use: Sanders with dust extraction, power drills, infrared and hot air guns. Back to Duty

K15: Preparation materials and their characteristics: Fillers, resin fillers, sealants, stabilisers, caulks, primers, decontaminants, abrasives. Back to Duty

K16: Coatings, their characteristics and uses: Water borne, solvent borne, two-pack, including drying, curing and recoating. Back to Duty

K17: Wallcoverings and their characteristics: Lining paper, free match or random paper and adhesives. Back to Duty

K18: Preparation processes internal and external locations and materials, considering surface conditions and defects for: untreated trowelled finishes and plasterboard; Untreated timber and timber sheet materials; untreated metals (ferrous and non-ferrous). Back to Duty

K19: Preparation processes for internal locations and materials, considering surface conditions and defects of previously coated surfaces: trowelled finishes and plasterboard; timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous); removal of previously applied coatings. Back to Duty

K20: Preparation processes for external locations and materials, considering surface conditions and defects of previously coated surfaces: trowelled finishes and plasterboard; timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous); removal of previously applied coatings. Back to Duty

K21: Characteristics, preparation and application techniques for preparatory papers (damp preventative, reinforcing, insulating, lining): cross lining, vertical hanging, around socket and switches, internal and external angles. Back to Duty

K22: Preparation and application techniques for standard papers: cross lining, vertical hanging, around socket and switches, internal and external angles. Back to Duty

K23: Application techniques and sequencing for surface coatings: solvent borne, water borne, brush and roller to ceilings, walls, linear work (skirting board and architrave) doors (flush and panelled) and opening windows. Back to Duty

K24: Techniques to rectify defects: Third party damage and post application defects. Back to Duty

K25: Principles of good team working. Back to Duty

K26: The painting and decorating sector: Regulators, types of services and products, types of employers, types of customers, supply chain and stakeholders. Back to Duty

K27: Verbal communication techniques and construction terminology. Back to Duty

K28: Written communication techniques using construction terminology. Back to Duty

K29: Well-being: mental and physical health considerations for self and others and how to access support. Back to Duty

K30: Inclusion, equity and diversity in the workplace. Back to Duty

K31: Employment types (self employed and employed), small business start up principles and tax responsibilities. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance. Back to Duty

S2: Select and use personal protective equipment (PPE), Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression. Back to Duty

S3: Check and safely use working at height equipment for example steps, hop-ups, and podiums. Back to Duty

S4: Identify hazards and comply with risk assessments, method statements, control measures and safe systems of work and report to manager when required. Back to Duty

S5: Read and interpret information for example from drawings, specifications, work instructions, manufacturer’s safety data sheets and manufacturer’s information such as colour charts and notations. Back to Duty

S6: Ensure materials are used efficiently and sustainably including suitable disposal of waste. Back to Duty

S7: Prepare work area: remove and store furnishings, fixtures and equipment and reinstate. Back to Duty

S8: Protect and prepare a safe working area, surrounding surfaces and environment. Back to Duty

S9: Select and use hand tools and equipment. Back to Duty

S10: Maintain and store hand tools. Back to Duty

S11: Select, use, maintain and store power tools. Back to Duty

S12: Prepare internal and external untreated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example: trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous). Back to Duty

S13: Prepare internal previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials. Back to Duty

S14: Prepare external previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous). Back to Duty

S15: Prepare and apply surface coatings to untreated external surfaces for example brick, stone, render, wood, metal using a brush and roller. Back to Duty

S16: Apply solvent borne and water borne coating systems using brush and roller to ceilings, walls, linear work (skirting board and architrave) doors: flush and panelled and opening windows. Back to Duty

S17: Prepare and apply foundation paper: Cross lining or vertical hanging around socket and switches, internal and external angles. Back to Duty

S18: Prepare and apply Wallcoverings: Free match or random match finishing papers, vertical hanging, around socket and switches, internal and external angle. Back to Duty

S19: Carry out minor repair for example third party damage or post application defect. Back to Duty

S20: Apply team working principles. Back to Duty

S21: Verbally communicate with others, applying construction terminology. Back to Duty

S22: Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues. Back to Duty

S23: Follow equity, diversity and inclusion guidance. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Put health, safety first. Back to Duty

B2: Consider the environment when using resources and carrying out processes. Back to Duty

B3: Take ownership of given work. Back to Duty

B4: Contribute to an inclusive and diverse culture. Back to Duty

B5: Seek learning and development opportunities to maintain and enhance competence in their own practice. Back to Duty

B6: Team-focused to achieve team goals. Back to Duty

T Level in onsite construction

Qualification type: T Level

Qualification level: 3

Awarding organisation: City & Guilds

Approval date: 17/12/2020

Available from: 01/09/2021

Occupational specialism: Painting and decorating

Product page

Aligned occupational standards

ST0295 Painter and decorator

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

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