Many business owners, including detail shops, can fall into the trap of believing they are doing the right things to manage and run a safe shop simply because they haven’t experienced any accidents. They may honestly and earnestly look out for the well-being of their employees and have years of experience without any incidents. However, when subjected to an inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), some shop owners learn a difficult and costly lesson about safety compliance.
Many OSHA violations are not blatant or reckless on the part of the shop owner, but they still can produce substantial fines. Some examples of these seemingly innocuous violations can be failure to have a safety plan or failing to provide proper eyewash stations. Did you know that OSHA has standards regarding fit tests and medical evaluations on employees required to wear respirators? Be sure to check local requirements to make sure your detail shop is in compliance with such procedures.
Here are a few ideas to help ensure workplace safety and avoid OSHA violations and fines:
Protective Equipment
Eye protection – If you have ever watched the PBS series, The New Yankee Workshop, you have heard host Norm Abram talk about shop safety at the start of every show. Abram says, “There is no more important piece of safety equipment than these — safety glasses,” and he is absolutely right!
Eye injuries can occur easily and cause irreversible damage. Debris can become airborne when a pressure washer or air blower is used, and there are plenty of dangers lurking under a car hood, including blown batteries, radiator caps and hoses. Chemicals, in particular, are dangerous and can easily splash into a worker’s eyes.
Protective eyewear is effective insurance against unnecessary injuries, and detail shop owners should make wearing a pair mandatory for almost every type of work activity.
Even with a protective eyewear policy in place, proper eyewash stations are a must in the event that an injury occurs. The items you will need depends on the chemicals and hazards your employees can be exposed to. Make sure you have the proper setup to mitigate injuries from every type of chemical you use.
Respirators – If you use hazardous chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid, you should provide respirators and conduct basic training and fit testing as OSHA requires. Some respirators do not require any special training and can be put on and adjusted for use by anyone. Others, though, require a fitting and a physical check-up and approval by a licensed health-care provider.
Again, the types of chemicals and environmental hazards employees are exposed to will determine which respirator types you need. If respirators are needed, you may need to implement uniform policies regarding facial hair. Beards, stubble and even sideburns can prevent negative pressure respirators from forming a proper seal, for example, resulting in dangerous leaks into the mask. Positive pressure respirators do not require a face seal and can be worn by bearded employees.
If you cannot afford the appropriate respirators, associated fit testing and medical exams for the chemicals you currently use, you may want to consider changing your chemicals. While nonhazardous chemicals may be a little more expensive and require a little more effort to use, the cost savings from not having to use respirators or pay potential OSHA violations may make this a palatable solution.
Gloves – Hand injuries account for more lost work days in the automotive service industry than any other type of injury. For that reason, providing the correct hand protection for work tasks is important in minimizing injury risks.
It should be noted that gloves designed for one purpose may not be appropriate for another use, even though they may appear to provide adequate protection. The types of chemicals being handled, the nature of contact and duration of contact, grip requirements, thermal protection and abrasion resistance can all be factors in selecting the proper hand protection.
In general, the thicker the glove material, the greater the chemical resistance, but OSHA points out that thick gloves can impair grip and dexterity and compromise a worker’s safety. Always check a manufacturer’s specifications to determine if a glove is appropriate for protecting against specific chemicals and conditions.
Leather gloves typically provide protection against sparks and moderate heat, while chemical-resistant gloves can be made from a variety of different rubbers for a range of purposes. For example, butyl gloves are effective protection against highly corrosive acids and other chemicals but do not perform well with aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated solvents, according to OSHA.
Nitrile gloves are made of a copolymer and provide protection against chlorinated solvents, oils, greases, acids, caustics and alcohols but are not recommended for use with strong oxidizing agents, aromatic solvents, ketones and acetates. Nitrile gloves also typically provide ample dexterity and stand up to heavy use.
Employee Training
As I have written previously, proper training on procedures will create awareness and prevent potential injuries and hazards within the shop. Here are some important areas to focus on regarding recommended procedures:
Back injuries – Back injuries are common in some work environments because employees do not use proper techniques to lift objects. As part of employee training procedures, remind team members how to properly lift heavy objects.
Before lifting, the person should stand close to the object with their feet about shoulder width apart. Squat by bending at the hips and knees, while keeping the back straight. When preparing to lift, grasp the object firmly with