Receiving the vehicle and preparing the work
Before starting work, identify the vehicle, the relevant systems and the planned operation. Manufacturer information helps establish specific precautions and limitations, particularly when the technology changes.
Preparation also includes vehicle movements, space and simultaneous tasks. Customers and people not involved in the repair must not be exposed to traffic or work areas. A repair order must translate into safe conditions for carrying out the work.
Vehicle lifts and stability
Lifts must be suitable for the vehicle and maintained in accordance with their requirements. HSE highlights the importance of locking mechanisms and of considering how removing components can alter weight distribution and stability.
Equipment inspections and operational checks require clearly assigned responsibilities. A fault in a critical component must be resolved before continuing, without replacing it with improvised supports or relying on the fact that it has not failed previously.
Electric and hybrid vehicles
These technologies can retain hazardous energy even when the vehicle is switched off. HSE distinguishes levels of competence according to the activity: moving a vehicle, carrying out a repair unrelated to its electrical system and working on its electrical components are not equivalent tasks.
Electrical risk requires specific procedures, reliable information and suitable equipment. Damaged batteries can also present chemical and fire hazards. The assessment must consider these conditions before authorising the work.
Substances, emissions and contact
Cleaning, degreasing, used oils and finishing work can cause exposure through inhalation or contact. Substances and tasks must be identified, including waste and workstation cleaning.
Measures are selected according to the process: substitution where appropriate, emission control, ventilation and suitable protection. The safety data sheet provides information, but does not by itself demonstrate that the way a substance is used in the workshop is safe.
Housekeeping, tools and coordination
Traffic, hoses, cables and materials can interfere with the work. Areas should be organised and access routes maintained so that operations can be carried out and incidents addressed.
Training must cover authorised tasks and the limits of what workers may do. When external personnel are involved, operations and equipment conditions must be coordinated. An urgent delivery deadline does not justify treating a defect or an incomplete procedure as normal.
Hypothetical example: expanding the service
A workshop starts receiving hybrid vehicles. Before accepting new types of work, it reviews skills, technical information, tools and the organisation of the space. It defines which tasks it can undertake and which require other resources.
The new service is checked under real conditions and reviewed when the operation changes. Previous experience with combustion-engine vehicles is not assumed to be sufficient for every type of work on the electrical systems of a different technology.
