10 September 2015

Considering the amount of timemost of us spend in the shop, it’sno wonder that we sometimessubconsciously think of it the waywe think about home. It’s naturaland it makes us feel comfortable

to be in the familiar surroundings of our shop.However, there’s a downside—we may tend tofeel so comfortable that we get careless. I was sur-prised to read in a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsreport posted on its website in 2007 (for the years2003-2005) that “Mechanics are more likely thanthe average worker to be injured or killed on thejob, as evidenced by higher rates of fatalities andinjuries and illnesses.”

There are always going to be freak accidents,like the one where a customer in an AndersonCounty, KY, Jiffy Lube came into the shop area towatch while his tire was being repaired. Then, ashe took a step back, he fell more than six feet intoa lube pit, which did have a safety net. While hemanaged to miss the net, fortunately, he survived.The incident demonstrates the importance ofkeeping customers out of the shop’s work area.There were several signs and a safety net, but theaccident could have been avoided if the customer

was politely asked to remain in the waiting room.Admittedly, that can be a problem. Some cus-

tomers like to watch the work being done on theirvehicles and may misunderstand that you’re askingthem to go to the waiting room for their own safe-ty. Which leads me to the first of four major rulesevery shop owner and technician should follow toensure the safety of workers and customers alike:

Rule No. 1: Keep customers—even reallygreat customers—out of the work area. Developsome lines that will not offend them, yet get thepoint across that it could be dangerous for them tobe in the work area. One line I’ve used and gottena few laughs from is: “Did you know we charge10% extra if you help?” A good way to make it eas-ier for customers to “keep an eye on you” (if that’swhat they really want to do) is to have a window inthe waiting room with a view of the work area, butI realize that’s not always possible. You might saysomething like, “I’m sorry but our insurance com-pany requires me to ask you to please not enterthe work area.” To keep it light you could add: “Ipromise I’ll come and tell you the moment the ba-by is born.”

I guess it’s really a question of your keeping aneye on customers who are waiting for their vehi-cles. I recall one fellow in my shop who keptstanding under the open overhead door. I askedhim more than once to please keep away from thedoorway. Naturally, the one time I forgot abouthim he got bumped on the head by the descend-ing overhead door. The next day I had a betteroverhead door sensor installed to keep that fromever happening again.

Rule No. 2: Don’t take any chances aroundgasoline. At Leadfoot Linda’s Auto Repair in Avon,CO, a fire started when a fuel pump was beingserviced on a vehicle on a lift. No one was injuredbut the damage to the shop amounted to$250,000.

We all know gasoline is a very volatile material,but working with it in a comfortable environmentperhaps makes us less cautious than we should be.Years ago I personally had to blast one of my techswith CO2 from a fire extinguisher because he al-

Shop safety doesn’t happen by accident. Taking time to review

customer policies and employee work practices and to inspect the

premises for hazards will reduce the chance of future mishaps.

Trade Secrets

Bob Cerullo

bcerullo@motor.com

Pho

to: T

om

Mo

nte

fusc

o

This fire at an auto repair shop in Huntington, LongIsland, NY, owned by Joe Montefusco apparentlywas caused by a light bulb that was accidentallybroken, which ignited some fuel vapors in the area.

TRADE SECRETS SEPT 2015_Layout 1 8/12/15 1:04 PM Page 1

lowed the gasoline that dripped outwhen he was changing a fuel filter on acar on a lift to soak into his shirt sleeve.After the job was completed, he lit a cig-arette and set himself on fire. (Thatshould be a very rare occurrence today;smoking is not allowed in any workplacenow.) If you don’t have an approved fuelremoval tank that safely allows you toempty a fuel tank, get one. Most insur-ance companies require it.

And do a walk-around in what EMSpeople call a “check of scene safety” be-fore you light up a torch or strike a weld-ing arc. I had a situation once where onefellow was emptying a gas tank and threebays over a tech was lighting up an acety-lene torch. Gas fumes travel and couldhave easily caused an explosion. Teachyour techs to check first before theywork with gasoline or do any welding.

Rule No. 3: Make sure all powertools are in perfect operating conditionand that your techs are using them prop-erly. At Five Point Tire and Auto Repairin Camden, NJ, a young technician re-portedly was using a high-poweredgrinding wheel to cut a chain when thewheel came loose and shot into his chest.The 33-year-old father of three died ofhis injuries. Shop owners need to studytheir own shops for this and other poten-tial hazards.

Make sure all power tools are beingused properly. Often accidents occurwhen tools are used improperly or areold and worn. If that’s what happened tothe tech in Camden, it could have beenavoided. Using a grinding wheel with aloose blade is an accident waiting to hap-pen. Just as using a grinding wheel with-out eye protection is something thatshould never be tolerated in any shop. Ifyou have rules that require your techs towear eye protection (and you should),then you need to be a pest about enforc-ing them until it becomes automatic forall of your people. No one is going to begrateful for your leniency if someonegets hurt. If the eye protection you insistthey wear saves an eye, you’re a hero andnot a guy facing a lawsuit.

Rule No. 4: Don’t lift anything ex-tremely heavy; there are machines forthat. One of the major problems in autorepair shops is back injuries. Quite oftena person gets injured trying to lift some-thing that’s too heavy, or he lifts it im-properly. Learning how to lift properly isa skill every one of your crew needs tolearn.

I hate to lift heavy things and I hate topush cars. Very early on I bought a usedfork lift for my shop that was so old it hadwhiskers, plus a 6V battery and worn outtie-rod ends. But it worked, and workedeven better when we overhauled it. Irigged it with a bumper so we never hadto push a dead car by hand ever again. Imade the bumper easily removable sothe arms of the fork could be slipped into lift pallets and other heavy stuff. ThenI fashioned a crane adapter so we coulduse the fork lift to R&R engines.

My biggest problem was to get newguys to use it rather than instinctivelystart to push a dead car. You must con-stantly remind your techs that they neednot risk an injury. Just take the time toget the proper equipment or plenty ofhelp. Back injuries are painful and arethe cause of lots of downtime.

The Trade Secret is that safety shouldbe made a full-time concern every hourof every day. Work at making your techssafety-conscious and help them watchfor safety issues. You could even createsome sort of safety reward program.Here is one way: Each tech starts with100 points, and points are deductedevery time you catch them not wearingeye protection, using a tool incorrectly,lighting up a torch when gasoline is be-ing handled, etc. At the end of, say, threemonths, the tech with the highest num-ber of points remaining gets a reward.

The safety rules mentioned here arejust a start. You and your techs must fol-low them so often that it becomes rou-tine. You must be aware of any potentialdanger before you dig into the work. Useover and over the phrase that’s standardprocedure for EMS personnel: “Is thescene safe?”

11September 2015

NOW: More CARB Integrated

Manifold Converters!

In USA and Canada: (800) 553-7199 Worldwide: (001) 215-702-3600

Fax: 215-702-3606 • info@easterncatalytic.com

Now even more CARB Coverage! Now even more CARB Coverage!

Our ECO CARBCARB vehicles.and pre-OBD IIconfigurations for OBD IIand Integrated Manifoldavailable in Universal, Direct-fit,now we have even more coverageConverters are CARB compliant andEastern Catalytic ECO CARB

now we have even more coverageConverters are CARB compliant and

,600 California part numbers1•

ehicle ApplicationsOver 42,000 V•

Executive Orders23 CARB

time, every time.and work right, firstdesigned to fit rightConverters are

ehicle Applications

you, Eastern is the right choice forand a supplier that stands behindcoverage, rock-solid construction,

Broad CARB.* 50,000 mile warrantyconverters are covered by our 5 yearAll Eastern Catalytic CARB compliant

Install Eastern with confidence

Y!READY TO SHIP TODA AY!•

70+ CARB Integrated Manifold Units•

you, Eastern is the right choice forand a supplier that stands behindcoverage, rock-solid construction,

Broad CARB/converters are covered by our 5 year

All Eastern Catalytic CARB compliant

70+ CARB Integrated Manifold Units

for warranty details.*See easterncatalytic.com

ALOGTTALOGCARB CAOur new 2015

Now available:

you and your customer!you, Eastern is the right choice for

you, Eastern is the right choice for

Circle #7

TRADE SECRETS SEPT 2015_Layout 1 8/12/15 1:04 PM Page 2