Abstract: In a paint plant which comprises at least one spray-painting device incorporating at least one application unit for painting workpieces and in particular motor vehicle bodies with a fluid paint, in order to enable the fluid paint overspray i.e. the paint particles which are not adhering to the workpieces that are to be painted and which are picked up and carried along in an air flow passing through the application area of the paint shop, to be re-separated from this air flow and also to enable the cleansed air flow to be returned to the application area in an air re-circulating system or else expelled into the environment of the plant, the paint shop comprises a device for separating fluid paint overspray from a stream of crude gas that contains overspray particles wherein this device comprises at least one filter element for separating the overspray from the stream of crude gas.