Shop safety is everybody's responsibility

Jan. 1, 2020
Creating a safer shop involves a combination of housekeeping, training, common sense and professional help.

A FEW DAYS ago I was in a shop talking with the techs about shop safety. The conversation was lighthearted and included some ribbing about one tech in particular, who according to the crew at the facility, always seemed to be hurting himself in new and "interesting" ways.

One of the managers at the shop went so far as to suggest that they start to collect the bubble wrap packaging that some parts were delivered in, and fashion a suit for the tech. Judging by the stories they relayed to me about this gentleman, I thought that probably was a pretty good idea.

Although we were joking and having fun at this poor guy's expense, shop safety is no laughing matter. In fact, it is just the opposite – a very serious issue in our industry. Think about the processes and chemicals we are all exposed to daily in the collision repair field. Many of them are toxic and present potential health hazards. Also, often we are surrounded with sharp, jagged metal, flying sparks, high voltage batteries, razor blades and hot welding spatter.

Much of what a collision shop employee is exposed to daily is dangerous. Unfortunately, many shops do very little to help improve the safety of their employees and customers exposed to this environment.

Why? I believe much of the reason is due to a lack of knowledge regarding what to do to make things safer, especially on a budget. Let's not confuse general shop safety with OSHA compliance; although the two terms definitely go hand in hand, they are not the same. A safer shop will help you be in compliance by default, but it won't secure compliance by itself.

We could write a book on shop safety, but in this article my goal is to provide direction to help get your shop focused on the path to safety, and give you the tools to get a good head start on the entire process.

Common sense

Much of shop safety is simply common sense. I know sometimes it may seem like people don't have any, but the fact is most everyone does.

If you spill something, wipe it up. If you drop something, pick it up. If you see something on the floor, grab it and put it away. Using common sense in your shop will go a long way to making it safer.

Take a look around your facility with fresh eyes. Look at it closely. I suggest you look at your facility as if it belonged to somebody else, and you were seeing it for the first time. Are parts strewn across the floor? Is garbage overflowing? Are hoses placed all over? Are tools hanging on the wall in disarray or in precarious positions? If so, you are not in the minority.

With this fresh view, does the scene look impressive, cozy and safe? Or does it look messy, unorganized and unsafe? If your answer is yes to the latter question, then it not only looks unsafe, it is unsafe. Hoses are easy to trip over, poorly hung tools can fall and hurt someone, and overflowing garbage can create many hazards. I have seen someone push garbage into an overflowing can, not knowing a razor blade rested in the pile. This resulted in 65 stitches and two weeks off work.

Using common sense will go a long way to a safer shop.

Cleanliness

Shop cleanliness is very important. A clean shop is a safer shop, but cleanliness has to start with the owner /manager and must be driven by them. You cannot just talk to people about having a clean shop; you have to instill a culture that leads by example. Everyone in the shop has to be involved every day to clean the facility and maintain it. This is truly a team effort that will result in a shop that always looks clean and is inherently safer.

Every stall should have a garbage can and every tech should be responsible for his/her stall. Before everyone leaves for the night, each stall should be swept and picked up. Parts that are garbage should be thrown away or put in a recycle bin. Papers must be picked up, cardboard disposed of, paint cans closed and put away. All tools should be picked up and returned to their tool boxes. Shop-owned tools should have a spot designated for their storage, and all should be returned to the designated spot every night.

I realize this sounds like a lot of work, and it is the first time. However, after your shop is set up this way, the daily routine becomes just maintenance that takes only a few minutes each day.

Organize

Your techs may believe that they know where their fastener, clip, or bolt is in that pile of junk in their top tool box drawer. However, safety grows out of organization. I like to mark out my shop with spaces for everything. Even the brooms have a spot drawn out on the floor. I know that sounds like obsessive behavior, but I never trip over one, and neither does anyone else. I never have to look for one either, because I know that it will be where it is supposed to be when I need it. If you do this with everything, you will be amazed at how effortless some tasks become. Not only is it safer, it is more efficient. In your shop there should be, as the old saying goes, "a place for everything, and everything in its place."

Let's stop and assume you have done some clean up and organization. Look at your shop again, with that same fresh vision. It looks fantastic now, doesn't it? No more weaving through stuff just to walk through the shop. Think about what your prospective customers see as well. Do you think they would be more likely to leave their valued position in your care with this nice, highly organized shop than before you cleaned it up? I know they would!

Not only is it now safer, but you are getting more work as well. Not a bad added benefit. As a business owner, the safety of your customers is your responsibility as well. Cluttered and dirty offices can lead to accidents. Think of your shop office as a reflection of your business because it is. Again, cleaning and organizing will go a long way to creating a safer public environment. Think common sense. In my shop, I offer my customers refreshments, including coffee. I do not let them make it themselves. I once saw a customer burn himself severely with hot coffee while pouring a cup in a shop waiting room. He then proceeded to drop the glass pot on the floor. It shattered in a room full of other customers, including some children. Very dangerous, indeed. I have only plastic cups and utensils available for customer use, nothing breakable.

Team effort

I mentioned this earlier, but safety in your shop is everyone's concern, and it takes a team effort to really achieve success. To help get your staff on board, hold a safety meeting at least twice a month and go over issues that you are aware of. In these meetings, make sure your staff participates and adds to the conversation. They surely see issues every day while working in the shop and might be able to offer suggestions about how to improve those areas. By involving everyone and giving them a voice in what happens, they will become empowered and help initiate more ideas.

Research

Common sense will only take you so far. At some point, professional help in creating a safety protocol will likely be needed. With lots of research, you may be able to create a very complete safety program on your own, but I suggest contacting companies like GMC Enviroscape to help you develop a comprehensive safety program in your shop.

These companies understand our industry and will be able to build a program that's customized for your shop size and needs. Obviously, there is a cost involved, but just one workers' comp claim will cost more than the training needed to prevent it. Let's face it, our expertise is in repairing damaged vehicles, not shop safety.

You can achieve the basics yourself, but detailed plans that include safety manuals, storm safety spots, and fire safety training are best left to the professionals. Your paint jobber or I-CAR representative may offer classes as well. Don't hesitate to utilize these resources. 3M offers fit testing for paint and particulate masks that is very good. Do you know what constitutes a safe and properly utilized particle/paint mask? What protective equipment do your techs need to wear when welding? When grinding? When cutting? These companies will ensure your shop sets up the proper protocols for each operation.

Online safety training also is available, and is required by some insurance companies as part of their direct repair agreements. Programs like Safety & Pollution Prevention (sp2) offer online courses that provide good basic safety training. These classes are limited, but when added as part of a complete safety program, they are very valuable and beneficial. The key is to utilize all your resources, not just one.

The more training you and your staff can get, the better off you will be. Remember, medical costs are not the only cost involved in an at-work injury. Lost productivity and higher insurance premiums also are issues to be considered. Most of us are not overstaffed, so when one person is out of our lineup, it can be very costly in terms of lost revenue. Additionally, customer satisfaction suffers and the potential for lost business exists. What would happen during your busiest time of the year if your key body man or painter was off for a couple weeks? I know it would hurt my shop's productivity.

All of us are busy every day, dealing with issues and problems that pop up. Sometimes it seems that devoting time to develop a safety program will be too difficult and time consuming, so it keeps getting pushed to the back burner.

It really isn't that difficult and is an area that requires your attention and dedication. As a manager or owner, you must demand that all shop employees develop safe habits and initiate the programs that guarantee the desired behavior. Doing so will benefit your employees' health and the health of your bottom line as well.

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