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What the law requires, and what evidence you must have to perform certain tasks
Many think all craft trades require a license. They do not. House painter is not an authorised trade in the same way that electrical and plumbing work is where the law requires special approval to perform the work at all. So you are allowed to paint once you have learned the trade. But it does not mean there are no rules — there are and some of them are very important to know.
The most important paper in the trade is the journeyman's certificate. It is not an authorization in the legal sense but it is the documentation that you are fully trained as a house painter. If you eventually want to start your own business or become a paint master it builds on this foundation. The journeyman's certificate is your ticket to skilled work and to further and continuing education.
Although the trade does not require authorisation certain tasks require a legally required certificate. This is especially about safety and the rules are enforced by the Working Environment Authority.
If you are to work with products containing epoxy or isocyanates — for example certain floor coverings two-component products and some industrial paints — the law requires that you have completed special safety training first. It is not something you choose to do or not do yourself: without the certificate you are not allowed to perform the work. The course teaches you to protect yourself against substances that can cause serious allergies and respiratory problems.
Painters often work at height — on ladders, lifts and scaffolds. If you yourself set up, modify or dismantle certain types of scaffolds, it requires special scaffold training when the scaffold exceeds a certain height. Here too, the rules are set to prevent accidents, and they apply regardless of how skilled you feel.
The Labour Authority oversees the work environment on construction sites and can issue orders if things are not in order. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure the work environment is safe but you as an employee also have a shared responsibility to use protective equipment and follow instructions. The education content itself and the journeyman examination are developed and maintained by the professional committee for the painting trade.
“The rules are not there to bother you – they are because some of the substances and situations you encounter as a painter can cause lasting damage if you don't know what you're doing.”