Tips to Help Keep Your Auto Repair Shop Safe

June is National Safety Month, and Acuity is bringing you some guidance on how to keep your business protected year-round! Auto repair technicians and shop employees work with dangerous tools, chemicals, and machinery, which can put them at greater risk for accidents and injuries, potentially leading to negative effects for the business and employees. Listed below are some practical steps to follow to mitigate accidents.

General Safety Tips

• Make sure interior floors are clean, orderly, and free of fall hazards.
• Store hazardous waste safely with no spills or disposal issues.
• Make sure storage areas are neat, secure, and uncongested.
• Keep the exterior of building, grounds, and parking lot clear and well kept.
• Ensure that customers’ parked cars are locked with the keys properly secured.

Visitor Safety

• Keep the customer waiting area clean and free of hazards.
• Post signage in visible areas stating that visitors are not allowed in the service shop without an appropriate escort.
• Have a set procedure for vendor and contractor check-in, escort, supervision, safety, and personal protective equipment.

Employee Safety 

• Confirm that safeguards are adequate on powered equipment.
• Keep electrical equipment in good condition with undamaged cords and have lock-out procedures in place when necessary.
• Have a written welding and hot work procedure in place and enforced.
• Properly store hand tools and keep in good condition.
• Always have personal protective equipment stocked, readily available, and in good condition.
• Correctly label hazardous substances and store with safety data sheet information.
• Check and clean the eyewash/shower equipment weekly.
• To mitigate risk of strains and sprains, require two employees to move heavy objects and use carts, pallet jacks, forklifts, or other mechanical aids when possible.
• To avoid slips and falls, squeegee floors when vehicles exit the shop to remove any dripped liquid.

Fire Prevention Safety

• Verify fire extinguishers are up to date, inspected, and unobstructed.
• Discard oily rags in metal containers with self-closing covers or lids.
• Flammable liquids and gases must be stored correctly and securely.
• Strictly prohibit smoking indoors and limit to controlled outdoor areas.
• Maintain good condition of all hoist and hydraulic lift equipment.
• Regularly test fire protection sprinklers, smoke detectors, and alarms.
• Check out Acuity’s Fire Safety Blog Post!

Health & Safety Organization

• Have an emergency/evacuation plan in place and understood by all staff members.
• Keep safety signs and notices in place where necessary.
• If your shop has an alarm system, confirm that all staff are aware of alarm sounds, proper response, and shut-off protocols.
• Always keep your first-aid cabinet marked, fully stocked, and easily accessible.

Taking the proper steps to address potential hazards is critical in reducing the likelihood of injury to your employees and customers.  Use these tips as a checklist to keep your auto repair shop safe, and check out the Acuity Focus for more auto repair and safety-focused blogs!