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V chicle maintenance workshops are dangerous places. In the year to
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April 2001 they witnessed two deaths, 401 major injuries, and 1,397 accidentor illness-related absences, according to the Health and Safety Executive (H SE). Figures for the year to April 2002 had yet to be published at the time of writing, but the HSE predicts they will be worse.
The figures refer to workshops servicing cars and light commercials as well as those that look after heavy trucks. The latter are particularly hazardous, however, because of the greater use of maintenance pits—there's always the risk somebody will tumble in and hurt themselves— and the risk of falls from heights.
Technicians sometimes have to climb up on trucks and trailers during the course of their work. For anybody who misses their footing, the consequences can be disastrous.
Many workshops have mezzanine floors used to store parts, often with steep access steps, points out Peter
Barlow, environment, health and safer adviser at the Retail Motor Industr Federation. Run up or down those steps care lessly because you're anxious to get a job fin ished, and you could end up in hospital.
An individual who badly gashes an arm o breaks an ankle will have a miserable time but the consequences for the employer can bi serious, too. Losing an experi enced fitter for days on em can throw maintenance plan: into complete disarray; and : temporary replacement won' be easy to find, given nationa skill shortages. That coulc lead to safety-critical work or trucks not being carried out— something that won't please the Vehicle Inspectorate.
Failure to maintain a safi working environment car lead to prosecution under tht Health and Safety at Wonl Act, while there's ever) prospect that an employet who was injured through lac fault of his or her own will sut the employer through the civi courts.
Falls are identified by thy HSE as a major source o. injuries, as are slips and trips "Slips and trips are often caused by poor housekeeping Liith oil spillages not cleaned up and tools, Loses and parts left scattered all over the Lear," contends Barlow. "Somebody might rip simply because the floor is uneven.
"As the HS E also points out, employees can uffer harm by attempting to lift something hat's too heavy for them to handle unaided," re adds. "Sometimes they want to appear nacho and show how strong they are, rather han seek assistance."
A badly strained back can be one consepence. Others can include crushed toes if hey end up dropping the item concerned. Both the HS E and Barlow highlight mother cause of injuries—workers being tnick by vehicles manoeuvring in and out of he workshop. "That's when fatalities can wcur," Barlow remarks.
He's also worried about the long-term Larm that fitters who fail to follow safe work. rig practices can suffer. The onset of dermatiis is one example.
"Workshops make extensive use of acidic Ind alkaline fluids, powerful solvents, and iil—and all of these things can damage skin," re points out.
Hands are particularly vulnerable and he :ecommends that anybody who comes into :ontact with harmful substances should wear atcx gloves. Boxes containing several hunlred are available for a few pounds.
Derma Shield, which protects hands from rritants by forming an invisible protective )arrier over them, is also worth considering,
he advises. A case of half-a-dozen 5 o oml cans costs L119.70 plus VAT, and a wall-mounted dispenser is available (for details, call o800 78T S777).
Prevention measures
Accident prevention measures have to be contained in a coherent policy that everybody understands. What's more, regular checks must be carried out to ensure that policy is adhered to.
That's the approach taken by Pullman Fleet Services, which operates 32 sites countrywide. Owned by Wincanton, it services Tesco and Safeway trucks among others as well as part of the Wincanton fleet.
"Health and safety is covered in the induction procedure that every technician who joins the company goes through," says support services manager, Steven Ashley. "In addition, we employ in-house safety trainers who run regular courses on safe working practices; avoiding lifting injuries, for example.
"Because we can't train all the fitters in a workshop at the same time—we'd have to shut it if we did—they'll take, say, two at a time from each shift," he continues.
"The managers go on regular three to four day health and safety awareness courses, too.
"Training is also being given to health and safety representatives elected by the employees," he says. "We've got elected reps at eight locations so far, and that's a policy that seems to be working well. "Local managers have to hold health anc safety meetings with the representatives, oi the entire staff, four times a year," he says "There is a set agenda for each meeting, am the minutes have to be sent to me afterwardi so that I lcnow that it's taken place. Twice a yea: we also carry out health and safety audits at al locations, and I make sure that action is taker to resolve any problems that are revealed."
Accident prevention measures are ofter cheap and easy to implement, says Ashley Protective clothing isn't expensive—gooc quality work boots cost around ko a pair while a set of ear defenders costs £2.95—anc if they're comfortable and easy to put on, tech nicians shouldn't need too much persuadinf to use them.
"For example, we've started to provide fit ters with safety spectacles that they can carr, around in the top pockets of their overalls or the basis that there's more chance that the will wear them than goggles," he says. "WI isolate pits that aren't in use by using the sor of inexpensive easy-to-see plastic chains tha are available from any garden centre.
Safety literature
"Conscious that health and safety literaturi often ends up in a filing cabinet somewhere we display it on a shelf in the staff canted/ wherever possible along with the site safer plan," Ashley continues. "We believe tha there's every chance that a fitter who get bored with his newspaper will actually take i down and read it."
TNT (UK) adopts an equally proactivi health and safety policy. The company carrie out regular workshop risk assessments, ant presents the local manager with a report of it findings, says Neil Griffiths, group health safety, and environmental manager. The man ager is expected to implement its recommen dations.
Nor is the company afraid to open its poli cies up to outside scrutiny.
Last year assessors from the British Safet Council (BSC) spent three weeks at To TN" Express Services sites—four of which hay. workshops—and measured them against th BS C' s five-star standard.
"They got a four-star rating," says Griffiths "We were pleased with that, because mos finns only reach the two or three star level a their first attempt."
The assessors will be back again this yea: and this time TNT will be seeking five-star str tus. That will make it eligible to apply for th BSC's Sword of Honour, says Griffith: awarded to the 40 safest companies world wide.
"There's a strong case for saying that at accident is a failure of management, an that's something that was recognised by th oil industry some years ago," Barlow reflect: He recalls the case of one global oil corr pany with a bad accident record that eventu ally told local managers in all the countries : operated in that if a fatality occurred, the would immediately have to fly to head office t explain why to the group managing directo: "Nobody wanted to be hauled up in front c the group MD, so the accident rate plurr meted overnight."