Abstract: A SPRAY BOOTH WAS REMODELED TO MAKE IT SMALLER, AND WHEN PUT INTO OPERATION DID NOT EXHAUST PROPERLY. THE OVERSPRAY PARTICULATE AND VAPORS WERE FORCED BACK INTO THE WORK AREA. THE SPRAY BOOTH WAS LOCATED IN A MILITARY RUBBER BOOT PRODUCTION AREA IN A SHOE FACTORY. A PROTECTIVE RUBBER LACQUER WAS BEING APPLIED IN THE SPRAY BOOTH, WHICH WAS ONE STEP IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE BOOTS. THE AFFECTED WORKERS WERE WORKING NEAR THE SPRAY BOOTH DOING PRODUCTION PIECEWORK ON THE BOOTS. THOSE ON THE SECOND SHIFT BECAME ILL WITH SYMPTOMS SUCH AS VOMITING, DIZZINESS , GIDDINESS, NAUSEA, & HEADACHES WHICH WERE COMPATIBLE WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE LACQUER: XYLENE, TOLUENE, MEK, MIBIC, ETHANOL, HEXANE, HEPTANE AND PENTANE. IT APPEARS THAT THE REMODELING OF THE SPRAY BOOTH INVOLVED USE OF A MUCH SMALLER EXHAUST DUCT WITHOUT A CHANGE IN FAN SIZE OR SPEED. EVIDENTLY THE FAN WAS PULLING MORE MATERIAL THAN THE EXHAUST DUCT COULD HANDLE AND THIS BLEW THE RUBBER LACQUER PARTICULATE AND VAPORS OUT INTO THE WORK AREA. A BUILDUP OF MATERIAL OCCURRED DURING THE DAY AS THE FIRST SHIFT NOTED SOME SYMPTOMS, BUT DID NOT BECOME SICK ENOUGH TO LEAVE THE WORK AREA.