If you went to your paint shop right now, what kind of gloves are employees wearing to protect themselves from chemical exposure — latex or nitrile? What thickness are they? When working near the electrical system on hybrid vehicles, what level of shock protection should your gloves offer? Five hundred volts? One thousand volts?
Conflicting information I received on these topics in recent months has had me spending a fair amount of time trying to track the correct answers. Sure, part of it stems from the fact that I don't want to face any fines should the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) come to inspect my shop, but my primary goal is to make sure I'm doing all I can to help protect my employees from injuries or long-term health issues.
But, that's not always an easy task. With nearly 12 of every 1,000 households in Portland, Ore., owning a hybrid vehicle (more than any other city in the U.S.), we're starting to see them pretty regularly in our shop.
I recently purchased a pair of rubber insulated gloves with protection from electrical shocks of up to 500 volts. But, I subsequently learned that Toyota and I-CAR recommend wearing gloves rated at 1,000 volts.
Similarly, safety regulators say it's not uncommon to see paint shop employees wearing latex gloves, in some cases because jobbers said they were adequate. Painters should wear nitrile gloves to protect themselves from exposure to isocyanates.Most safety consultants and regulators recommend gloves that are at least 4-or 5-mil. in thickness. They need to be in good condition (no holes or tears) and changed regularly (after every paint job or anytime they are exposed to solvent or paint product). Heavier nitrile gloves are needed anytime employees immerse their hands in paint or thinner or are exposed to more than small drips or overspray.
Occasionally, I still come across shop owners who aren't aware they need to have fire extinguishers rated for four types of combustibles: Class A (wood and paper), Class B and C (flammable fluids and electrical) and Class D (special agents, combustible metals). The magnesium used in some vehicles is both extremely flammable and almost impossible to extinguish; water sprayed on molten magnesium will produce an explosive hydrogen gas. That's why a Class D extinguisher is needed.
Trying to comply with these and the myriad of other worker safety regulations can be overwhelming, which is why we've sought out help. In years past, our workers' compensation carrier sent in a consultant at our request (and at no charge) to look for and help us correct any potential violations or safety hazards.
OSHA's Web site (www.osha.gov) has a special section focusing on the collision repair industry. Enter "autobody" in the search feature, then look for "Safety and Health Topics: Autobody Repair and Refinishing." It includes the OSHA standards that apply to shops, the most common violations and tips on recognizing and correcting hazards. The site also links to state OSHA sites that have information on consultation services.
The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has a Web site (www.ccar-greenlink.org) with information on shop safety. Click on "mixing room" or "spray booth" to find a respiratory protection program that shops can customize to meet OSHA requirements.
CCAR also has created "S/P2" (www.SP2.org), online training and testing in safety and pollution prevention designed specifically for collision repair and automotive repair shop employees. For $299 a year, a shop can have access to the training and testing for all its employees.
Perhaps most helpful to me in recent months, however, has been a service I've contracted with through a national safety consulting firm. They helped me get an updated written hazard communication plan (an OSHA requirement) put together. They send us a weekly safety topic with everything we need to get this information communicated to employees.
Although at nine employees we're not required to have a safety committee that meets regularly (as are companies with 10 or more employees), this consultant also provides us with everything we need for monthly meetings. It's good information I want our employees to have, and it ensures we have the safety program in place when we reach the 10-employee threshold.
It's easy in the day-to-day grind of managing your business to let safety-related issues slide. But investing in your employees' health and safety is just that: a good investment. It's protection I feel we owe them, and the long-term costs of even one major injury or illness can far outweigh the costs of providing the tools and information needed to help keep employees safe.
