Safety in automotive workshops: hazards and controls

Workshop safety means controlling the hazards in a repair or servicing shop so that mechanics, apprentices and customers avoid injury. The main risks are lifting and vehicle support, power tools and compressed air, high-voltage electrical systems, fumes and gases, hazardous substances, and vehicles moving around the shop. Under the WHS laws, the business owner, as the person conducting the business or undertaking (PCBU), must manage those risks.

A busy workshop is a crowded place. Wheels and tyres are heavy, engines run indoors, parts are cleaned with solvents, and cars roll in and out all day. This guide walks through the hazards you're most likely to face and the practical steps that prevent injuries.

What are the main hazards in an automotive workshop?

Lifting and supporting vehicles

Vehicles are supported on hoists, scissor lifts, column lifts and jacks. A vehicle that falls on someone causes crush injuries or death, so this is one of the highest-consequence tasks in the shop.

• Only use lifts that are maintained and inspected, and follow the manufacturer's load and positioning instructions.
• Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Use axle stands or a lift lock.
• Keep the area under a raised vehicle clear of people and tools until it is secured.
• Use a trolley or a lift assist for wheels and tyres. Repeated bending, reaching and lifting leads to back and shoulder injuries.

Power tools and compressed air

Air guns, impact wrenches, angle grinders and bench grinders are used all day. Kickback can cut a worker, and a disc that breaks can throw fragments into an eye. Compressed air is a hazard in its own right: never point it at skin or use it to clean clothing or hair. Use a parts washer rather than an air gun to clean components where you can.

High-voltage systems in hybrid and electric vehicles

Hybrid and electric vehicles carry high-voltage systems that can cause electric shock or burns even when the car looks switched off. Only trained and authorised technicians should work on these systems. Follow the manufacturer's isolation procedure, use insulated tools and PPE as the procedure requires, and never assume a battery pack is safe to touch. Isolation should follow a lockout and tagout procedure, so the system can't be re-energised while someone is working on it.

Fumes, gases and welding

Running engines produce carbon monoxide, and paint and some solvents release vapours that can cause dizziness, headaches and longer-term harm. Run engines outside or connect the exhaust to an extraction system, and keep ventilation working. Spray painting needs a dedicated booth with extraction and the right respirator. Oxygen and acetylene cylinders should be stored upright and secured, and kept away from heat and flammable materials.

Hazardous substances

Older brake linings, clutch facings and gaskets may contain asbestos. Battery terminals contain lead, and battery acid can burn skin and eyes. Solvents, degreasers and paints need a register and an SDS for each product. Read the safety data sheet before using a product for the first time, and store chemicals in labelled, separate areas.

Vehicles moving around the shop

Cars are driven into and out of bays, and forklifts or delivery vehicles move through the yard. A technician working under a car can be hit by a vehicle entering the bay, and blind spots make collisions more likely. Set up a clear drop-off and collection point outside the bays, mark walkways, and have a spotter when a vehicle is moved in the work area.

Slips, trips and falls

Oil, coolant, loose parts and cables on the floor cause a large share of shop injuries. Service pits, mezzanines and steps are common fall points. Clean spills straight away, keep walkways clear and wear footwear with slip-resistant soles.

Noise

Air compressors, impact tools and running engines are loud. Long exposure causes permanent hearing damage, so measure noise in the shop, provide hearing protection where it's needed and keep compressors in a separate room where possible.

Fatigue, stress and substance use

Long hours, pressure to finish jobs quickly and pay tied to the number of jobs can push technicians to skip steps. Fatigue makes mistakes more likely. Alcohol and drug use at work is a serious risk to the person and to others. Set a fair roster, make sure people can take breaks, and have a clear policy on impairment.

Controls: working through the hierarchy

The hierarchy of controls ranks controls from most to least effective. Work down the list, and only rely on the bottom levels when the ones above them are not reasonably practicable.

1. Eliminate. Keep customers out of work bays by providing a waiting room and a drop-off point. Send used oil, filters and batteries to a licensed waste contractor so you don't store them on site.
2. Substitute. Use water-based paints and low-solvent cleaners where they do the job, and switch to a parts washer instead of compressed air.
3. Isolate. Guard grinders and bench tools, keep spray painting in a booth, and separate the compressor room from the bays.
4. Engineering controls. Install extraction for exhaust and fumes, fit lifts with interlocks and locks, and add ventilation for welding and spray work.
5. Administrative controls and PPE. Write procedures, train workers, supervise high-risk tasks and rotate repetitive jobs. Provide gloves, eye protection, hearing protection and respirators as the last line of defence.

If your workshop relies only on PPE, the controls aren't working. Look at the top of the hierarchy again.

Documents that keep the workshop safe

Written procedures are how you make safe work repeatable. Most workshops need:

• A WHS policy that sets out responsibilities for owners, supervisors and technicians
• A hazard register and risk assessments for each high-risk task
• Standard operating procedures for lifts, tyre changing, spray painting and welding
• A chemical and SDS register
• An induction checklist and a training record for every worker
• Inspection and maintenance records for lifts, compressors and tools
• An incident and hazard report form

The PCBU must consult workers about health and safety, because technicians know where the risks are. That duty sits in section 47 of the WHS Act. Ask the team which tasks feel unsafe, and update your procedures based on what they tell you.

Ready-made procedures save time. Our automotive servicing and repair SOPs cover common workshop tasks, and individual SOPs are available for vehicle hoists and paint booths. If your building contains asbestos, check the automotive asbestos management plan before work starts.

Common questions

Do workshop tasks need a SWMS? Usually not. A SWMS is required before high-risk construction work. Most workshop tasks need a risk assessment and a clear procedure, such as an SOP, instead.

Who is responsible for the workshop's safety? The PCBU, which is usually the business owner. Supervisors and workers have their own duties to follow the procedures and report hazards.

Do customers have to follow safety rules? They should be kept out of work areas. A waiting room, a clear drop-off point and signs keep customers away from lifts, vehicles and tools.

Do I need an SDS for every product in the shop? Yes, for every hazardous chemical. Keep an SDS for each product in a register that workers can access.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current law with your WHS regulator.