Health and safety in the workshop

Published: Auto Retail Manager                                                

Author Peter Purdom - a director of automotive health and safety specialists, xCenta Solutions

With 90 per cent of businesses rating people as their most important asset, health and safety has to be a top priority. However, familiarity can breed complacency and in a workshop it’s easy for pressure to get the job done to see corners cut and risk intensify. The HSE has a number of key issues of focus in our sector, which include:

Working at height – Legislation surrounding working at height applies wherever there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. Be it working on the top of larger vehicles, vehicles on lifts, or around an inspection pit, it’s imperative that appropriate training is given on how to approach the task and when complete, secure the operation, such as board up the inspection pit. What’s also important is that dealerships are providing the best safety equipment for technicians to use. Many will provide railed steps, which although acceptable, won’t offer the same level of protection as say a platform. In addition, guard rails and kick boards may appear minor, but will stop equipment and tools accidently falling off and injuring another technician working on the ground.

Paints and bodyshops – Spraying isocyanate paints is common practice in the vehicle repair sector. However, exposure can cause long-term illness, such as potentially life-threatening occupational asthma, and can also be the cause of dermatitis – the industry has an 80 times higher risk of getting asthma compared with the UK working population. Therefore, bodyshops should never spray outside the booth or room, as the spraying produces invisible airborne mist that can easily be inhaled.  When working in the booth or room, air-fed breathing apparatus must always be used to eliminate exposure and correct procedures and signage must be in place to remind sprayers of the hazards, protective equipment needed and also how long it takes the room to clear. In addition, regular health tests – lung function, urine tests and skin checks of sprayers should be conducted and processes put in place to monitor for symptoms. The business will benefit, as most occupational asthma sufferers have to leave the industry, the loss of an experienced and trusted sprayer will be costly, in terms of service delivery and possible ill health claims.

Workplace transport – Vehicles at work are a major cause of fatal and major injuries. Every year there are about 60 fatalities, over 2000 major injuries and over 4000 injuries that require more than 3 days off work. There is no alternative within dealerships environment but to frequently move vehicles, posing a risk to employees and visitors. Therefore workplaces must be organised so that vehicles and pedestrians can move safely and, whenever possible, roadways and footpaths should be separate. Dealer principals should also look to minimise reversing, ensure vehicles are only driven at very low speeds and keep customers out of the workshop. Clear and visible signs (to Highway Code standards) should inform drivers and pedestrians about the routes they should use.

Dealer principals hold responsibility for ensuring their workforce is protected from harm. Failure to do so can bring prosecutions upon themselves and their board of directors, which may result in unlimited fines or a prison sentence as a consequence of gross negligence – therefore it is business critical that every element of the workshop is compliant.

To find out more about automotive retail health and safety, visit www.xcenta.co.uk.

A quick action plan

• Assess - ensure all risks assessments are complete
• Organise – have in place regular – and if possible, independent – inspections to understand how health and safety is applied on a day-to-day basis
• Plan - regular servicing and equipment maintenance schedules
• Train - educate and refresh to ensure correct procedures are in place
• Culture - make good health and safety intrinsic to business culture by leading from the top

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