Background:
Occupational exposure in automotive coatings manufacturing is driven by volatile organic compounds and isocyanates, with SMEs exhibiting higher variability due to limited engineering controls and ventilation performance across EU, USA, and Ukraine contexts.

Objectives:
This review compares occupational exposure, control effectiveness, and regulatory frameworks in automotive coatings SMEs across the European Union, United States, and Ukraine.

Methods:
A narrative critical review was conducted using peer-reviewed literature, industrial hygiene studies, and regulatory documents retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, EU-OSHA, OSHA, and Ukrainian legislative sources (2000–2025). Evidence was synthesized across three analytical dimensions: exposure pathways, engineering control effectiveness, and regulatory implementation. Particular emphasis was placed on SME-specific exposure conditions and ventilation performance in automotive coatings environments. A comparative approach was applied to evaluate differences in occupational exposure limits, enforcement structures, and real-world exposure dynamics across jurisdictions.

Results:
The analysis shows consistent misalignment between occupational exposure limits and measured indoor concentrations, particularly during high-emission processes such as spraying, mixing, and cleaning. SMEs demonstrate significantly higher exposure variability due to insufficient local exhaust ventilation, weak engineering controls, and limited occupational hygiene capacity. The European Union exhibits a more preventive and science-driven regulatory model, while the United States relies on enforceable but partially outdated exposure limits. Ukraine represents a transitional system with incomplete implementation of EU-aligned chemical safety frameworks. Across all jurisdictions, SMEs act as a structural amplifier of exposure risk, particularly for isocyanates and VOCs, where short-term peak exposures are not adequately captured by time-weighted regulatory approaches.

Conclusion:
Occupational risk in automotive coatings manufacturing is primarily determined by the interaction between regulatory design and engineering control effectiveness, with SMEs representing the critical determinant of exposure variability across all jurisdictions