The 10 Most Common OSHA Hazards in an Auto Dealership Service Department

1.Automotive Lifts

This one belongs at the top of the list for a reason.

A technician working beneath a vehicle may have several thousand pounds suspended over his or her head. A leaking cylinder, damaged locking mechanism, worn component or improperly positioned vehicle can turn an ordinary repair into a serious accident.

There is no OSHA standard written specifically for automotive lift users. That does not mean lift hazards are outside OSHA's reach. OSHA has addressed recognized automotive lift hazards through the General Duty Clause, and proper inspection, maintenance and safe operation remain critical.

Lift safety should include regular inspections, preventive maintenance and employee training. Just as importantly, employees need to know that a lift showing signs of trouble should be taken out of service until it can be properly evaluated and repaired.

2.Hazard Communication

Dealership service departments use a surprising number of chemicals.

Brake cleaner. Parts cleaner. Coolant. Windshield washer fluid. Lubricants. Degreasers. Paint products. Adhesives. Battery chemicals. The list can get long quickly.

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to identify hazardous chemicals in the workplace, maintain appropriate Safety Data Sheets, properly label containers and train employees about the hazards they may encounter.

One of the most common problems is not necessarily the chemical itself. It is the secondary container someone filled and forgot to label.

That spray bottle sitting on a technician's cart may be perfectly obvious to the employee who filled it. It is considerably less obvious to everyone else.

3.Lockout/Tagout

Most dealership technicians understand that machinery can be dangerous. What sometimes gets overlooked is the energy stored inside equipment even after it has been turned off.

Tire machines, compressors, lifts, shop equipment and other machinery can contain electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical energy capable of causing injury during maintenance or repair.

Lockout/tagout procedures are designed to prevent equipment from unexpectedly starting or releasing stored energy while someone is working on it.

The important distinction is that turning something off is not always the same thing as making it safe.

4.Personal Protective Equipment

Safety glasses are probably the most recognizable piece of PPE in a service department, but they are only part of the picture.

Depending on the task, employees may need gloves, face shields, hearing protection, welding protection, respiratory protection or other specialized equipment.

The goal is not to make every technician walk around dressed like he is preparing for a moon landing. PPE should match the actual hazard.

That starts with identifying the tasks employees perform and determining what protection those tasks require.

5.Forklifts and Powered Industrial Trucks

Not every dealership has a forklift, but plenty do, particularly larger operations, parts departments and facilities handling heavy materials.

OSHA requires powered industrial truck operators to be properly trained and evaluated. Training is not simply a matter of showing someone where the key goes and letting him figure out the rest.

Pedestrian traffic makes this particularly important at dealerships. Employees, delivery drivers and sometimes customers may be walking through the same areas where powered equipment is operating.

If your dealership has a forklift, make sure the people operating it are authorized and properly trained.

6.Slips, Trips and Falls

There is nothing particularly exotic about a slip and fall.

That is precisely why they are easy to overlook.

Oil on the floor, air hoses stretched across a walkway, extension cords, parts, tools, water around wash areas and uneven walking surfaces can all create hazards.

Good housekeeping is one of the simplest safety programs a dealership can have, and one of the easiest to let slide during a busy day.

A clean shop is not just about appearance. It is a safety control.

7.Electrical Hazards

Service departments rely heavily on portable electrical equipment, extension cords, battery chargers and powered tools.

Damaged cords, missing grounding pins, overloaded outlets and makeshift electrical repairs are worth watching for.

Extension cords deserve particular attention. They are intended for temporary use, but temporary has a funny way of becoming permanent.

If an extension cord has been supplying the same piece of equipment for the last three years, it probably stopped being temporary somewhere along the way.

8.Flammable and Combustible Materials

Gasoline is the obvious concern, but it is hardly the only flammable material found in a dealership.

Aerosol products, solvents, paints and other shop chemicals may present fire hazards and require appropriate storage and handling.

Containers should remain closed when not in use, ignition sources need to be controlled, and flammable materials should be stored appropriately.

This is also an area where good housekeeping makes a significant difference. A small spill or improperly stored container may not seem particularly important until an ignition source is introduced.

9.Respiratory Hazards

Respiratory hazards vary significantly from one dealership to another.

A mechanical service department may have relatively limited exposure, while a dealership with a collision center can have employees working with paints, coatings, sanding dust and other airborne contaminants on a regular basis.

The first step is determining whether a respiratory hazard actually exists and whether engineering controls, work practices or respiratory protection are necessary.

If respirators are required, simply handing an employee a respirator is not enough. OSHA's respiratory protection requirements can include medical evaluations, fit testing, training and a written respiratory protection program.

This is an area where knowing the difference between voluntary respirator use and required respirator use matters.

10.Emergency Preparedness and Fire Safety

Emergencies have an inconvenient habit of happening without checking the dealership's schedule first.

Employees should know what to do if there is a fire, chemical spill, severe weather event, medical emergency or other situation requiring evacuation or emergency action.

Emergency exits need to remain accessible. Fire extinguishers need to be properly maintained. Employees should understand evacuation procedures and know where they are expected to go.

An emergency plan sitting untouched in a binder does not accomplish much if the employees who need it do not know what it says.

The Bigger Picture

None of these hazards is particularly unusual by itself.

What makes an automotive dealership service department different is that so many of them exist under the same roof.

Vehicles are being lifted while chemicals are being used, powered equipment is operating, employees are moving throughout the shop and customers may be only a doorway away.

The goal of a dealership safety program should not be to create paperwork for the sake of paperwork. It should be to identify hazards before somebody gets hurt.

A good place to start is simply walking through the service department and looking at it with fresh eyes.

Look up at the lifts.
Look at the floor.
Look at the chemical containers.
Look at the cords and hoses.
Look at the equipment.

Then ask the people who work there every day what they see.

You may be surprised what you find.